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2026 Taxes, Calculators, Forms Pages

Head of Household in 2026

Head of
Household

The Head of Household filing status might be right for you on your tax return. Were you single in 2026 with qualifying relatives as dependents?

  • Once you have determined that you can file as Head of Household, start your return on eFile.com and select the head of household status when you begin the tax interview.
  • The eFile Tax App will automatically apply the higher standard deduction and help reduce your taxes as you enter your income and other tax information.

Head of Household Filing Status
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Citizen / Resident
Is this individual e.g. child a U.S. citizen, a U.S. resident alien, a U.S. national, or a resident of Canada or Mexico?
Marital or Filing Status
What was your marital status on the last day of the tax year?
During The Tax Year
Did your spouse die during the tax year?
Previous two Tax Year
Did your spouse die during the previous two tax years?
Support Tax Year
Did you provide more than half of your own support for the tax year?
Tax Year
Did you pay more than half the cost of keeping up a home for the tax year?
IRS Qualifying Person
Do you have an IRS Qualifying Person who lived with you during the tax year? Use our DEPENDucator tool if you are unsure of how to answer.
Qualifying Child
Is the Qualifying Person your child or stepchild, but not a foster child?
Qualifying Person single
Is your Qualifying Person single?
Are Both of the Following True
  • The Qualifying Person is married.
  • They will file their own tax return.

Based on your answers, your filing status can be Married Filing Jointly OR Married Filing Separately. Learn the difference between these two statuses to help you decide which one is best for you.

Based on your answers, your filing status is Single. Single is the basic filing status for unmarried people who do not qualify to file as Head of Household. If you were not married on the last day of the tax year and you do not qualify to use any other filing status, then you must file your tax return as Single.

Based on your answers, you qualify for the Head of Household filing status. A lot of folks think that you can file for this status if you are married and this is not the case. You have to be single, or unmarried, with a dependent child or children to qualify.

Based on your answers, your filing status is Qualifying Widow(er) With Dependent Child. This filing status allows you to retain the benefits of the Married Filing Jointly status for two years after the year of your spouse's death. You must have a dependent child in order to file as a Qualifying Widow or Widower.

This tool cannot determine your filing status because you were not a U.S. citizen and/or a resident alien for all of the tax year.

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Each new tax seasons begins in January following a given tax year. Prepare and e-file 2023 Taxes due on April 15, 2024 on eFile.com; it's less taxing! Prepare to prepare with this tax-related checklist. If you missed the April deadline you have until mid October to e-File your return, after that e-Filing will close for the given tax year.

Claim Head of Household

Attention: Compared to the single filing status, the head of household filing status will get you lower tax rates and a higher standard deduction. It will also help you qualify more easily for tax credits. Many singles with dependents qualify as heads of household - use this free DEPENDucator to see who you can claim on your 2026 Return. Additionally, other unmarried people and, with some exception, legally married people with dependents might qualify as head of household. Generally, to qualify to file as a head of household, you have to be unmarried and you have to support a dependent or qualifying relative. To find out the best filing status for you, calculate your refund or balance due by using our free Tax Refund Calculator 2026.

Exceptions:

  • If you live apart from your spouse and meet certain requirements - even if you aren't divorced or legally separated - you might file as head of household. Should you qualify to file as head of household instead of as married filing separately, your standard deduction will be higher. Plus, your tax amount overall may be lower, and you might be able to claim the earned income credit.
  • Even if you were married at the end of a tax year and one spouse is a US citizen or resident and the other spouse is a nonresident alien, you can choose to treat the nonresident as a US resident. This also includes cases if one of you is a US nonresident alien at the beginning of the tax year, but a resident alien at the end of the tax year while the other other is a nonresident alien at the end of the year. If you treat your nonresident alien spouse as a US resident alien, you may be able to use head of household filing status. As head of household, you must pay more than half the cost of maintaining a household for certain dependents or relatives other than your nonresident alien spouse.

Who Is a Qualifying Person?

It can be tricky to figure out if someone is your qualifying person. If you have a dependent, they might or might not also count as your qualifying person. A dependent is not always a qualifying person and you don't necessarily have to claim a qualifying person as a dependent.

Confused? Don't worry, we've made it easy for you! Just use the free head of household tool on this page. Then, prepare and e-file with eFile.com and let the tax app select the best filing status for you.

How to File as Head of Household

If you live apart from your spouse and meet certain requirements - even if you aren't divorced or legally separated - you might file as head of household. In the case you qualify as HOH instead of as married filing separately, your standard deduction will be higher, your tax may be lower, and you may be able to claim the Earned Income Credit.

Detailed requirements to file as HOH; see more details on IRS filing statuses.

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