Head of Household provides several tax benefits, but you must meet several requirements in order to claim it
Of the five filing statuses you can choose when you file your tax return – Single, Married Filing Jointly, Married Filing Separately, Head of Household, and Qualifying Widow(er) – Head of Household is one of the less frequently claimed. But for those who qualify it can provide ample benefits, such as lower tax rates and a higher standard deduction.
Who qualifies as Head of Household?
In order to qualify as a Head of Household you must meet the following requirements:
- You were unmarried or considered unmarried on the last day of the year.
- You paid more than half the cost of keeping up a home for the year.
- A qualifying person lived with you in the house for more than half the year (except for temporary absences, such as school). However if the qualifying person is your dependent parent, they do not need to have lived with you.
Who does the IRS consider unmarried?
The IRS considers you unmarried for the whole tax year if you were unmarried on the last day of the year, or legally separated from your spouse under a divorce or separate maintenance agreement. That means you could have been married all year, but as long as you got divorced by December 31st the IRS considers you unmarried. Continue reading “Can I Claim Head of Household on My Taxes?”
