Tax returns for beginners

My spouse and I are both PAYE employees. We've never done tax returns and it appears we should. Please be kind, we are getting our act together at last. I've a few questions.

Spouse earns the higher income, we are jointly assessed. I have always paid for my own medical expenses and prescription meds - should I make my own return for these, or does my spouse include these on the tax return as the main assessed earner?

Since 2023 I have a tiny annual income from a text book I jointly authored. Should I do my own tax return because of this?

Thank you

As you are jointly assessed your spouse should make the return for both of you and include any of your additional income and your medical expenses. As long as your non PAYE income is <€5k a return is quite quick and straightfoward to do using Revenue myaccount. If your non paye income is >€5K then your spouse should register for ROS and make the equivalent of a Form 11 return on ROS which is also relatively straight forward though does require more information to be inputed. Note that if you make a self assesed return on ROS for one year then you are required to make a return each year going forward unless you deregister yourselves as self assessed.

Do yourselves a favor and take 20 minutes to read the below link and watch the videos on how to make a tax return via your Revenue myaccount.
https://www.revenue.ie/en/jobs-and-pensions/end-of-year-process/index.aspx