Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. There is no tax filing status that confuses taxpayers more than the one called head of household. When you hear the term, what comes to mind? The breadwinner? The main source of household income? There are many rules that determine who can file their taxes under the head of household status.
While this status can maximize your tax savings , you must ensure that you follow IRS guidelines fully in order to avoid a potential IRS inquiry or audit. For starters, you can't be married. Here is a look at what filing as head of household means for your taxes and who is eligible to file under this status.
In order to file as head of household, you must meet several requirements:. If you do not meet all of these requirements, you are not eligible to claim the head-of-household filing status.
Married taxpayers are not eligible to claim the head-of-household status. You must be single or in some stage of separation. According to the IRS, you are considered unmarried if you are single, legally separated by divorce, or have lived apart from your spouse for six months or more in the calendar year. It is wise to have supporting documentation to prove your claim, should the IRS inquire for further information. If you qualify for head-of-household filing status, there are significant financial benefits in store for you.
It can also be an adult who is supporting a parent or other relative under certain circumstances. These certain circumstances can be tricky to understand. Also, your personal situation might be quite complex. For more help with your tax planning, consider consulting with a financial advisor. First, you have to be single or considered unmarried by the last day of the tax year. The IRS considers you unmarried if you meet the following criteria:.
If the circumstances of your separation are temporary, the IRS will consider you married for tax purposes. Qualifying temporary separations include military deployment, staying in a medical treatment facility or going to college. Second, you need to have paid more than half the costs of keeping up a home for the year. That includes your rent or mortgage payment, property taxes , utilities, repairs, maintenance and groceries.
Keep in mind that if you and your spouse lived in separate homes due to a temporary circumstance, such as military service , business trips, a stay in a medical treatment facility, or attendance at college , the IRS still considers you married for that tax year.
The requirement for a qualifying child or dependent extends beyond just your own son or daughter. To be considered a qualifying child, the child must meet the criteria in each of the following categories:. In some cases, you may be eligible to file as head of household even if you are unable to claim your child as a dependent. For divorced or separated parents, if the child lived in your home for more than half of the year, you may file as head of household, even if the divorce or separation agreement gives the other parent the right to claim the child as a dependent.
If your dependent does not meet the criteria to be a qualifying child, you may still qualify to file as head of household. The following relatives are considered qualifying dependents for the head of household filing status as long as you provided more than half of her financial support and she lived with you for more than half of the year:. Even if your father or mother did not live with you for more than half of the tax year, you may still qualify to file as head of household.
If you paid for more than half of the living expenses for your parent's main home throughout the entire tax year and you are eligible to claim them as a dependent , then you may file as head of household. Remember, with TurboTax , we'll ask you simple questions about your life and help you fill out all the right tax forms. Whether you have a simple or complex tax situation, we've got you covered.
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