I was divorced in 2016, the divorce was final in May, do I still have to file jointly or do I file as single or head of household?

[Coleen3 · Accepted solution]

If your divorce was final in May of 2016, your two choices are Single or Head of Household if you qualify.

You may be able to file as head of household if you meet all the following requirements.

1. You are unmarried or considered unmarried on the last day of the year. See Marital Status , earlier, and Considered Unmarried , later.
2. You paid more than half the cost of keeping up a home for the year.
3. 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, he or she doesn't have to live with you. See Special rule for parent , later, under Qualifying Person.

[jerry2000]

You file as Single , or head of household if you qualify for that.