The big benefit of not being joint when you have kids is if one of you is below the low income cutoff for the thousands of dollars in programs each year that are available. From GST checks, to extra RESP matching, bus passes, etc etc. I took a look at it once and pretending to get divorced would get an extra 10-20k a year out of the government. I am not that dishonest but I know people who do it.
But you are a tax cheat if you do it, and would be subject to significant penalties if you ever got caught.
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