Filing Status
Determining your filing status impacts the rest of your tax return. Tips for choosing your correct filing status.
Choosing Your Filing Status
Choose only one filing status, depending on your situation. Generally, your filing status depends on your marital status as of the last day of the year.
Choose only one filing status, depending on your situation. Generally, your filing status depends on your marital status as of the last day of the year.
Single Filing Status
Your filing status is single if you are unmarried, or considered unmarried, on the last day of the year.
Your filing status is single if you are unmarried, or considered unmarried, on the last day of the year.
Head of Household Filing Status
You are unmarried, can claim a dependent, and have cared for a dependent for over half the year. Taxpayers claiming the Head of Household filing status benefit from a higher standard deduction and lower tax rates than single taxpayers. The definition of head of household is quite specific, so read over the criteria carefully.
You are unmarried, can claim a dependent, and have cared for a dependent for over half the year. Taxpayers claiming the Head of Household filing status benefit from a higher standard deduction and lower tax rates than single taxpayers. The definition of head of household is quite specific, so read over the criteria carefully.
Married Filing Jointly
Married taxpayers can choose between filing a joint tax return or a separate tax return. The Married Filing Jointly filing status provides more tax benefits than filing separate returns, but taxpayers will need to weigh the pros and cons and decide for themselves which is the best filing status.
Married taxpayers can choose between filing a joint tax return or a separate tax return. The Married Filing Jointly filing status provides more tax benefits than filing separate returns, but taxpayers will need to weigh the pros and cons and decide for themselves which is the best filing status.
Married Filing Separately
Married taxpayers can choose between filing a joint tax return or a separate tax return. The Married Filing Separately filing status provides fewer tax benefits than filing joint returns, but taxpayers will need to weigh the pros and cons and decide for themselves which is the best filing status.
Married taxpayers can choose between filing a joint tax return or a separate tax return. The Married Filing Separately filing status provides fewer tax benefits than filing joint returns, but taxpayers will need to weigh the pros and cons and decide for themselves which is the best filing status.
Qualifying Widow/Widower with Dependent Child Filing Status
Surviving spouses receive the same standard deduction and tax rates as taxpayers who are married filing jointly. In the year of your spouse's death, you can file a joint return. For the two following years, you can use the Qualifying Widow/Widower filing status if you have a dependent.
Surviving spouses receive the same standard deduction and tax rates as taxpayers who are married filing jointly. In the year of your spouse's death, you can file a joint return. For the two following years, you can use the Qualifying Widow/Widower filing status if you have a dependent.
What's Your Filing Status?
A simple guide to finding your filing status.
A simple guide to finding your filing status.