I filed married filing separate but on my forms it's showing head of household why?

[KatrinaB · Accepted solution]

Turbo Tax will always place you under the filing status that is most beneficial to your situation. Although you're married and filing separately, you still may qualify for the head of household filing status. This status is available to married taxpayers who are eligible to be considered unmarried for head of household filing status.

Please review the qualifications below, to ensure you qualify for this filing status.

1. You file a separate return. A separate return includes a return claiming married filing separately, single, or head of household filing status.

2. You paid more than half the cost of keeping up your home for the tax year.

3. Your spouse didn't live in your home during the last 6 months of the tax year. Your spouse is considered to live in your home even if he or she is temporarily absent due to special circumstances. See Temporary absences, under Qualifying Person, later.

4. Your home was the main home of your child, stepchild, or foster child for more than half the year. (See Home of qualifying person, under Qualifying Person, later, for rules applying to a child's birth, death, or temporary absence during the year.)

5. You must be able to claim an exemption for the child.

Please view pages 24-25 of IRS publication 17, for more information about this filing status.

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p17.pdf