Tax filing status impacts several key areas of your federal tax return: whether you are required to file, the size of your Standard Deduction, your tax rate, your eligibility for specific tax credits, and ultimately, the amount of tax you owe (or the refund you receive). Your status is typically based on whether you are considered married or unmarried as of December 31st of the tax year.
The IRS recognizes five statuses: Single, Married Filing Jointly (MFJ), Married Filing Separately (MFS), Head of Household (HoH), and Qualifying Surviving Spouse (QSS). If multiple statuses apply to your situation, TurboTax is designed to help you select the one that results in the biggest tax break.
Status Highlights: What You Need to Know
- Single: Unmarried, divorced, or legally separated taxpayers who don't qualify for Head of Household status file Single. For 2025, the Standard Deduction for Single is $15,750.
- Head of Household (HoH): This status is available if you maintain more than half of the expenses of your home and claim a qualifying dependent. It provides a larger Standard Deduction and more favorable tax brackets compared to filing as Single. For 2025, the HoH Standard Deduction is $23,625.
- Married Filing Jointly (MFJ): Generally considered the most favorable status for married couples, MFJ offers the largest Standard Deduction, which is $31,500 for 2025, and wider tax brackets, often leading to a lower tax bill.
- Married Filing Separately (MFS): This is often referred to as a "penalty status" because it usually results in fewer tax benefits and higher overall tax compared to MFJ. MFS filers receive the same Standard Deduction as Single filers ($15,750 for 2025).
- Qualifying Surviving Spouse (QSS): This status is available to taxpayers whose spouse died in one of the two prior tax years and who have a qualifying dependent, provided they have not remarried. QSS is beneficial, because it allows the taxpayer to use the generous Standard Deduction and favorable tax rates that apply to those filing MFJ.
New Senior Bonus Deduction for 2025: Does filing status matter?
Your filing status matters if you’re married and age 65 or older, by the end of the year. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) introduced a new bonus deduction for seniors, but if you are married, then you must use MFJ as your filing status to qualify. Additionally, the new senior bonus deduction is available if you take the Standard Deduction or itemize. It phases out once your modified adjusted gross income exceeds $150,000 for joint filers ($75,000 for Single).
Ready to ditch the confusion? Watch our quick video, "How Does My Filing Status Affect My Return?" to see how TurboTax will help guide you to pick the best filing status for your situation.
Additional Resources
Need more help? Our TurboTax Community is here for you! Post your question in one of our dedicated tax forums.
**Say "Thanks" by clicking the thumb icon in a post
**Mark the post that answers your question by clicking on "Mark as Best Answer"
