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The five filing statuses
Single, married filing jointly, married filing separately, head of household and qualifying surviving spouse. Your status depends on whether you were married on December 31 and who lived with you. It sets your standard deduction, your tax rates and some credits.
When married people can file as head of household
A married person can be "considered unmarried" and file as head of household if they lived apart from their spouse for the last 6 months of the year, paid more than half the cost of keeping up the home, and their child lived with them more than half the year. This is the most common status mix-up we see.
Questions about your situation?
Book a free 15-minute call. Year-round help from the same team, and you can call us when an IRS letter shows up in July.
Free 15-minute callNot ready yet? Get a reminder in JanuaryOfficial sources: Publication 501 (tax year 2025) ↗
Figures checked on irs.gov in October 2026. General information only, not tax advice for your situation. Your situation is confirmed when we prepare your return.
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