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If my divorce was final 20 years ago, can I file single, or do I still need to file as divorced?

 
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4 Replies

If my divorce was final 20 years ago, can I file single, or do I still need to file as divorced?

Your filing status is Single if you have not remarried.   

Divorced is not a filing status but is used by program to ask a series of questions concerning your current status.

If my divorce was final 20 years ago, can I file single, or do I still need to file as divorced?

You have been Single for 20 years.  Haven't you been filing as Single since your divorce?  Unless you have a child and qualify for Head of Household.  

rjs
Level 15
Level 15

If my divorce was final 20 years ago, can I file single, or do I still need to file as divorced?

You are mixing up marital status and filing status. TurboTax asks you for your marital status, then it recommends a filing status for you. When it asks for your marital status, you should select divorced as long as you have not remarried. It will probably select single as your filing status. Your marital status does not appear on your tax return.


You can look at your past tax returns to see what filing status was used. Your filing status is indicated by a checkbox at the very top of the first page of your Form 1040. Since 2018 the checkboxes for filing status have been above your name.

 

If my divorce was final 20 years ago, can I file single, or do I still need to file as divorced?

Agreed ... you are mixing up MARITAL status and FILING status.   Divorced is a marital status not a filing status.  Nowhere on the tax return can you find divorced on it.  If you wish you can enter either single or divorced in the MY INFO section of the interview section since it will not make a difference.   It is really only used to direct you to the correct interview screens if you will be filing as Head of Household and not single ... but again it changes nothing on the return. 

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