My husband and I have been separated since April 2010. (divorce has been initiated but not final) We have one child together, whom lives with me. My husband makes roughly 35-40,00 a year and I make roughly 10,000. I get paid in cash to take care of an elderly woman who is disabled. My employer is family and says that she can give me a 1099. I also attend school and will be receiving a 1098-T form within the next few days. My husband is wanting to file our taxes jointly and split it down the middle. I believe his intentions are to use this money as child support. I am torn between filing with him and filing on my own as HOH (because I am considered single because we haven't lived together the last 6 months of 2010). I want to get the maximum amount possible but I know that I will have to pay self employment income as well. I just want advice on what you think is best and if the more you have income wise would the deductions be greater for us filing together or better if I was doing it on my own. I don't want to be sound selfish but this man has put us out of our home and took my car so I am looking to get as much as possible because I have been starting over.

Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks!!