You’re not asking the right question. You should be asking whether your spouse is your employee. Under the circumstances described, where your spouse is working solely for you and you have control over the work being done, it is likely that your spouse is your employee rather than an independent contractor. In this case, you must adhere to all employer obligations, including tax withholding, paying payroll taxes, and issuing a Form W-2.
A fixed deduction allowed to every taxpayer, except those who may be claimed as a dependent by another person. Extra exemption deductions are allowed for a spouse on a joint return and for each qualifying dependent. A deduction of $3,400 is allowed for each exemption claimed on 2007 returns, but the deduction is phased out for certain high income individuals.