Your Filing Status Affects Everything on Your Return
Choosing the right filing status determines your standard deduction, tax bracket, and eligibility for credits. Here's how to pick the correct one.
Quick Summary
Your filing status sets your standard deduction and tax brackets. Most married couples benefit from filing jointly.
Your filing status determines your standard deduction amount, tax bracket thresholds, and which credits you can claim. Choosing the wrong one can cost you hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
The Five Filing Statuses
The IRS recognizes five filing statuses for the 2025 tax year:
- Single — Standard deduction: $15,750
- Married Filing Jointly — Standard deduction: $31,500
- Married Filing Separately — Standard deduction: $15,750
- Head of Household — Standard deduction: $23,625
- Qualifying Surviving Spouse — Standard deduction: $31,500
How to Choose
Your filing status depends on your marital status on December 31, 2025 and whether you have qualifying dependents.
Married couples almost always benefit from filing jointly. Joint filers get a larger standard deduction, wider tax brackets, and access to more credits.
Unmarried parents who paid more than half the cost of keeping up a home for a qualifying child may file as Head of Household, which offers a larger standard deduction than Single and more favorable tax brackets.
Common Mistakes
The most frequent error is filing as Single when you qualify for Head of Household. That mistake alone costs you $7,875 in additional standard deduction. If you’re unmarried and support a dependent child, check if you qualify.
You can determine your correct filing status and file your federal return for free at MyFreeTaxReturn.com. The guided interview walks you through each question to ensure you pick the right one.
Source: IRS Publication 501