There are five filing statuses. Which one is yours?
Single – If you’re single, divorced, or legally separated as of December 31st, you’re probably single for tax purposes.
Married Filing Jointly – Most married couples file a joint return since it’s usually easier. You also have the choice to use married filing separately instead, however. It’s a little more work, but you might want to figure your taxes both ways and see which works better for you.
Head of Household – Lots of single parents qualify as head of household. If you’re not married, but you pay more than half the cost of keeping up a home for a qualifying person, then this might be for you. There are lots of special rules for this one, but if you qualify, it will usually save you some money at tax time.
Qualifying Widow or Widower – If your spouse died within the last two tax years and you have a dependent child, you might be able to use this filing status. It usually results in owing less tax than filing as single.
Like most things in taxes, special rules apply for all these filing statuses. The best way to determine yours is to either ask your tax professional, or use the Interactive Tax Assistant. Go to IRS.gov and type in “filing status” in the search box. Then click on “What is My Filing Status?” and it will walk you through all the rules.