Determining your filing status helps us figure out what tax bracket you fall into.
Read the descriptions to see which one best describes your situation.
Single: You are unmarried or legally separated from your spouse under a divorce or separate maintenance decree (as of the last day of the year), and you do not qualify for another filing status.
Married Filing Jointly: You are married and both you and your spouse agree to file a joint return.
Married Filing Separately: You must be married. This method may benefit you if you want to be responsible only for your own taxes or if this method results in less taxes than a joint return. If you and your spouse do not agree to file a joint return, you may have to use this filing status.
Head of Household: You must meet the following requirements:
You are unmarried or considered unmarried on the last day of the year.
You paid more than half the cost of keeping up a home for the year.
A qualifying person lived with you in the home for more than half the year (except temporary absences, such as school). However, a dependent parent does not have to live with you.