Head of Household or Single

[Ognak11]

Hello

My Turbo Tax program recommends that I file as Head of Household, but I want to be sure first.

My property has 2 different units on it. I live in one and my Tenant lives in the other.

My Tenant pays me rent. I claim that rental income on my taxes, and I pay the Mortgage, etc for the property.

I have a 20 year old daughter who is away at College out of state, 10 months out of the year. I never claimed her as a Dependent, because her Mother does. She didn't grow up on my property...... But I do pay for half of her expenses (tuition, Apartment rent, groceries, etc).

Am I able to claim "Head of Household"?

Thanks for your help.

[Hal_Al]

Q. Am I able to claim "Head of Household (HoH)"?

A. No.

Your tenant is not relevant.  Your daughter is not a qualifying person, for HoH,  because 1. you do not claim her as a dependent and 2. She does not live with you. Although being away at college is only considered a temporary absence from the parents home, "She didn't grow up on my property......" indicates it's the other parent's home she is temporarily away from, not yours. 

If TT is recommending HoH, you've  entered something wrong.  Based on your description of your daughter's situation, you should not even be entering her in TT. 

[MinhT1]

Filing as Head of Household will result in less tax and more refund, as your income will fall in lower tax brackets and you will have a higher standard deduction.

There are conditions to satisfy in order to file as Head of household. You must:

• Pay for more than half of the household expenses
• Be considered unmarried on the last day of the tax year, and
• You must have a qualifying child or dependent.

As you cannot claim your daughter as a dependent (her mother does), you will not be able to file as Head of Household.

Please read this TurboTax article for more information.

[Ognak11]

Thank you.