Hopefully, one of the pros on here will give you some answers, hopefully someone who has experience with both. From a novice standpoint, I decided on a TAG for several reasons. They can be very destructive, but a macaw has a larger beak and can be more so. Their speech is easier to understand (from what I've read and the macaws I've seen). They need more cage space because of their size. That being said, I'd think it is purely a matter of preference. I've read the macaw threads here too, and their "people" think they are great. Maybe you and your wife should visit with both species and see which "clicks?" Not much help from here but I'll give you another bump