Filing Status

With regards to filing status, there are five. Most information regarding filing status can be found in Publication 501 (http://www.irs.gov/publications/p501/ar02.html#d0e1262) at the IRS website. Although we have given you the listing of the different filing statuses, we have defined the only two which are less commonly used.

a. Single,

b. Married Filing Jointly,

c. Married Filing Separately,

d. Head of Household, and

e. Qualifying Widow(er) With Dependent Child.

 

Head of household

This status is the trickiest one to follow. It has 4 components/requirements.

a. First, the individual is NOT married; is legally separated; or is married & has lived apart from his/her spouse for the last 6 months of the year at the close of the tax year.

b. The individual is NOT a Qualifying Widower.

c. The individual is NOT a Nonresident Alien (anyone other than a US Citizen or Green Card Holder).

d. Maintains a home that is a principle residence for either

1. Son/daughter

i. If he/she is unmarried, they don’t have to be a dependent.

ii. If married, then they MUST be a dependent

2. Dependent Parent – Not required to live with.

3. Dependent Relative – Must live with. No cousins or foster parents allowed.

Qualifying Widower

This status has two components, one of which is a time requirement, interestingly.

a. Use of this status may be used for a period of 2 years following the year of death of the spouse.

b. The surviving spouse must maintain, for the whole entire taxable year, the houshold which is the principle place of abode of a son, stepson, daughter, or stepdaughter for whom the surviving spouse is entitle to a dependency exemption.