How to File as a Married Head of Household
You can file as Married Head of Household on your tax return if your family meets certain conditions which qualifies you for a lower tax. Check your state's franchise tax board website as well as the Internal Revenue Service website to see if you qualify for filing head of household. Filing head of household when you do not meet the requirements could lead to additional tax, interest and penalties. If you are married and want to file as head of household then you will need to be considered unmarried on the last day of the taxable year.
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Instructions
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Check eligibility on the IRS website Check to see if you are eligible to file for head of household on the IRS website as well as your state's tax franchise board website. Meeting the following requirements will allow you to file married head of household: you and your spouse file separately; you pay more than 50 percent of household expenses; your spouse lived outside of the home for at least six months of the year; a qualifying person such as your child lives in the home; or you can claim an exemption for a qualifying person.
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Use the 1040 or 1040A form to file separate returns in which you file as married head of household. Indicate you are married filing separately by checking "Filing Status" option 3 and head of household by checking option 4 of either form.
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Enter your exemptions on line 6. Qualifying exemptions for head of household include: your dependent child under the age of 19 or a full-time student under the age of 24 or a permanently disabled child of any age; a spouse with no income who is not filing a return, not a dependent of someone else, or a nonresident alien spouse who is not treated as a resident alien at any time during the year; a relative who lives with you for at least six months of the year. Claim a parent as an exemption if you pay more 50 percent of the bills to keep up the parent's primary home.
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Determine if you pay more than 50 percent of the household expenses in maintaining the home. Ensure that you meet this requirement before you file head of household.
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Submit your tax rertun. Complete the entire form 1040 or 1040A and submit your tax return to the IRS and state tax board for acceptance.
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References
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