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New Member
posted Jun 7, 2019 3:56:14 PM

Head of household vs married filing jointly

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1 Best answer
Level 15
Jun 11, 2019 9:30:22 AM

If you are married and living with your spouse at any time during the last six months of the year you cannot file as Head of Household.

When you are married you should be filing as Married Filing Jointly even if one spouse has little or no income.  You receive the highest standard deduction of $12,600 and you each receive a personal exemption of $4,050.

Even if you could file as HOH the standard deduction is $9,300, which is far less than the standard deduction for Married Filing Jointly.

17 Replies
Level 15
Jun 7, 2019 3:56:14 PM

What is your question?

Level 15
Jun 7, 2019 3:56:16 PM

Do you live with your spouse?

New Member
Jun 7, 2019 3:56:18 PM

Y can't I file head of household married wife doesn't work

New Member
Jun 7, 2019 3:56:19 PM

Yes

New Member
Jun 7, 2019 3:56:21 PM

Thank you

New Member
Jun 11, 2019 9:30:21 AM

single vs head of household

Level 15
Jun 11, 2019 9:30:22 AM

If you are married and living with your spouse at any time during the last six months of the year you cannot file as Head of Household.

When you are married you should be filing as Married Filing Jointly even if one spouse has little or no income.  You receive the highest standard deduction of $12,600 and you each receive a personal exemption of $4,050.

Even if you could file as HOH the standard deduction is $9,300, which is far less than the standard deduction for Married Filing Jointly.

Level 2
Jan 28, 2021 5:28:27 PM

Hello, I am single and 60years old, full-time employee. My parents live with me and are 81 and 84. My father works part-time with no pension and just informed me his gross income for 2020 was $12,511. He works part time for a major car rental agency at the Airport. My Mother does not work and has a small pension of under $500 a month. They both collect SSI. I pay the mortgage, utilities and taxes for my house

 

My Father files a Joint return.

 

They have been living with me for 10 plus years now...........

 

Can I still file as Head of Household?.

Expert Alumni
Jan 28, 2021 5:39:44 PM

Unfortunately, no.  Neither of your parents are a qualifying person which you need in order to claim the Head of Household status.  

 

@golferinwindsor  

Level 15
Jan 28, 2021 5:43:23 PM

for 2020 their gross income is too high and they file a joint return. both of these situations means you can't claim either of them as a dependent. without dependents you can't claim HOH status.  you may have been filing wrong for multiple years. 

Level 2
Jan 28, 2021 5:49:58 PM

This was my first attempt of Head of Household. 

I was just informed that if my Father files as married/filing single he would owe taxes on $111 dollars?. Which is about $25 dollars. I would gladly give him the $25 or so to get $3000.  

 

Thanks,

Joe

 

Level 15
Jan 28, 2021 5:57:29 PM

Even if your father filed as Married Filing Separately (MFS), your mother could still not be your dependent (and HoH qualifying person). Her small pension is more than the $4300 income limit.

Level 2
Jan 28, 2021 5:59:38 PM

That was a guess, I will find out the exact amount she is getting. If it is lower than $4300 I would be ok?

Level 2
Jan 28, 2021 6:03:48 PM

She gets $205 per month or $2460 a year

Level 15
Jan 28, 2021 6:05:45 PM

Q. If it is lower than $4300 I would be ok?

A. Yes, probably, assuming you don't live in a community property state (half you father's income becomes hers).  You'd still have to meet the support test.

 

A person can still be a Qualifying relative dependent, if not a Qualifying Child, if he meets the 6 tests for claiming a dependent:

  1. Closely Related OR live with the taxpayer ALL year
  2. His/her gross taxable income for the year must be less than $4300 (2020).
  3. The taxpayer must have provided more than 1/2 his support

In either case:

  1. He must be a US citizen or resident of the US, Canada or Mexico
  2. He must not file a joint return with his spouse or be claiming a dependent of his own
  3. He must not be the qualifying child of another taxpayer

Nontaxable Social security doesn't count as income, for the income test, but social security money he/she spends on her self does count as support not provided by you, for the support test. Money she puts into savings & investment does not count as support she spent on herself. Note that a parent is closely related so there is no requirement that she live with you at any time, during the year. But if you provided a home it helps your support case, unless they own the home you live in. If no one person (or married couple) provides 50% of the support (for example your siblings are also sending support), then a "multiple support agreement” (IRS Form 2120) can be used, to allow you to claim the dependent. https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f2120.pdf

The IRS has a worksheet that can be used to help with the support calculation. See: http://apps.irs.gov/app/vita/content/globalmedia/teacher/worksheet_for_determining_support_4012.pdf The support value of a home is the fair market rental value, divided by the number of occupants.

Level 15
Jan 28, 2021 6:09:12 PM

Don't forget about stimulus payments.  Dependents don't get those.  If the already got em, they get to  keep em.  If they didn't get them, they have to file a 2020 tax return, as a non dependent,  to claim the $1800 (1200 + 600).  We don't know yet how the potential additional $1400 will work. 

Level 2
Jan 28, 2021 6:10:18 PM

They got them already.

 

Thanks Again!