Why is filing single better than filing head of household

[Phillip1 · Accepted solution]

Without knowing why you are asking, I will answer that head of household is a better filing status than single if you qualify for head of household status. If the program is telling to file using the single filing status, it is likely because you a.) either do not qualify to file as head of household, or b.) you haven't entered enough information yet for the program to recognize that you do qualify for head of household filing status.

The qualifications for head of household filing status is as follows:

• You are unmarried or “considered unmarried” on the last day of the year.

• You paid more than half the cost of keeping up a home for the year.

• 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.