Yes, TurboTax and the IRS are consistent in the application of the rules for claiming Head of Household status.
You are confusing the rules for claiming dependents (Chapter 3) with the rules for claiming head of household Chapter 2).
You may be able to file as head of household if you meet all of the following requirements.
- You are unmarried or considered unmarried on the last day of the year.
- You paid more than half of 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 for temporary absences, such as school). However, if the qualifying person is your dependent parent, your dependent parent doesn't have to live with you.
A qualifying person for head of household is:
- Your biological or adopted child, stepchild, foster child, sibling, step sibling, half sibling or a descendant (child, grandchild, great grandchild, etc.) of one of these relatives who is permanently and totally disabled, even if the relative does not meet the age requirements to be a qualifying child.
- Your parent.
- Your stepparent, niece, nephew, a sibling of one of your parents, or your son-in-law, daughter-in-law, parent-in-law, mother-in-law, brother-in-law or sister-in-law.
Click here to see the applicable section in Publication 17.
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