Head of Household for State but Single for Federal?

[Mathgirl17]

I just noticed that I am Head of Household (sole parent of a 13 year old) for my state but listed as single on my federal status. Does this change how I am taxed and/or how my return will look?

[ColeenD3]

Yes. If you think this is an error, double check your entries.

Head of Household

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.

Qualifying Person

See Table 4 to see who is a qualifying person. Any person not described in Table 4 isn't a qualifying person.

[Mathgirl17]

I should have clarified: I'm listed as single for federal but head of household for state on my W2. How do I remedy that?

[bjago2016c]

HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD MY BE THE BETTER CHOICE FOR REFUNFD PURPOSE

[npierson7]

Head of household filing status is definitely more beneficial filing status. What author referred to, it is most likely not a filing status, but W-4 withholdings, and it could be different on Federal and state withholdings  forms. If you have Single status there and Head of Household status on your tax return, your withholdings and your tax refund will be bigger