How to Qualify for Head of Household Status

You have to satisfy certain IRS criteria to qualify for Head of Household (HOH) filing status. Filing as single or married filing separately may not offer the same benefits as this status, which can offer a better tax bracket and bigger standard deduction. Qualifying is as follows:

• On the last day of the tax year, you must be single or deemed unmarried. This covers living apart from your spouse for the last six months of the year as well as legal separation.
• For the tax year, you must have spent more than half the cost of maintaining a house. This covers household maintenance, taxes on property, utilities, mortgage interest, rent, and groceries.
• A qualifying individual has to have lived with you for more than half the year. Usually your child, stepchild, or other close relative—like a parent, sibling, or grandchild—this person fits the IRS definition of a dependant.
• Should you claim a parent as dependent, they need not reside with you but you must have covered more than half the expense of their home.
• Married and living with your spouse, or without an eligible individual, you cannot register as Head of Household. Particularly if your status substantially affects your tax return or liability, the IRS may ask papers to confirm your eligibility.

Since filing as Head of Household can lead to significant tax savings, it’s important to evaluate annually whether you qualify.

This entry was posted on Monday, April 7th, 2025 at 9:40 pm and is filed under Personal Information, Tax Related Questions. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.