Filing Status
Definition
Your tax filing classification that determines your standard deduction amount, tax bracket thresholds, and eligibility for certain credits. The five filing statuses are: Single, Married Filing Jointly, Married Filing Separately, Head of Household, and Qualifying Surviving Spouse. Your status is generally determined by your marital status on December 31 of the tax year.
Example
If you are unmarried and support a child who lives with you, filing as Head of Household gives you a larger standard deduction ($21,900 vs. $15,000) and wider tax brackets than filing as Single.