Knowing how to determine your tax status and to know the difference between each group will help to make filing your income tax return went smooth. Here we will discuss ways in which you determine the status of the file below. There are five classifications from which you choose to file: single, married filing jointly, married filing separately, head of household or qualifying widower with dependent child. If for some reason, more than one status applies to you, you must select a status that gives the biggest tax benefits.
Determine your status as a single filer seems simple enough, but there are different situations that exist that can qualify as a single taxpayer. For example, if you are legally separated even in the last months of that year, you are considered single for the whole year. Without dependents and you are not married, you are considered single. Divorce and the cancellation of this year also qualify you to file as single.
However, even if you are single, but you have dependents, or widowed during the tax year, and you have dependents, your filing status will change to the head of household or qualifying widow with dependent children, not single. When it comes to determining your status as married taxpayers, there is a simple qualification assessment that defines the status of your legal filing, and if you are considered married. Obviously, if you are legally married and living together as husband and wife, even for a small part of the tax year, you’ll be considered married. If you live together as common law couples, and is legally recognized in the state where you live, or you live part of the tax year in a country where common law marriage began, then you are married filing status. Your filing status is still married even if you’re married but not living together but not legally separated or divorced.
