Head of Household - Living Expenses?

[scarr416]

I am moving in with my boyfriend and have one more year of my daughter in college that I can claim Head of Household.

The qualifications are that HOH has to pay more than 1/2 living expenses.  As my boyfriend and I decide who pays what, we both. were going to contribute a set portion to the joint account to pay the mortgage, utilities, groceries etc.  

Would it be better for me to pay those bills directly (or at least 50% of the them) and use the joint account instead as non-living expenses?

How would the IRS determine what all our living expenses are - mortgage, and utility bills are easy, but would they look at grocery bills?

Am I overthinking this?

[DawnC]

As long as only one of you is claiming Head of Household, you should not have an issue.    You can pay your bills however you want, but you have to pay over one half of the home's upkeep and have a qualifying dependent to claim Head of Household.  Two people cannot be the Head of the same Household.   Head of Household Qualifications 

[scarr416]

He has no dependents, so he has never claimed HOH. I've claimed it for last 8 year living on my own.  Now that we are moving in together would they look at who is making more money to determine who is paying half the household expenses?  I assume since my taxes have not changed in the past 8 years are far as standard deductions and status, and the only thing changing is an address, I probably am overthinking this?

[KeshaH]

It's not necessarily based on who makes the most money. If questioned, you'd need to show that you actually paid more than half the costs. This can be shown by you contributing more than half the costs of your household expenses into the joint account.