Can I claim myself as head of household?
Caleb Butler
Updated on March 31, 2026
The head of household status can lead to a lower taxable income and greater potential refund than the single filing status, but to qualify, you must meet certain criteria. To file as head of household, you must: Be considered unmarried for the tax year, and. You must have a qualifying child or dependent.
Does head of household qualify for stimulus check?
For adult dependents to qualify, the person claiming them on their tax return must meet the same income threshold as everyone else: $1,400 payments for individuals with an adjusted gross income of up to $75,000, heads of household with income up to $112,500, and $150,000 for joint filers.
What are the requirements to claim Head of Household?
You can only claim head of household if you paid more than half, which would be 51% or more of your total household expenses. Once you’ve established that you paid more than 50% of the expenses of your home, you must also meet all the requirements for your qualifying person that you claim as your dependent.
Can a single parent claim Head of Household?
In the case of unmarried parents living in the same home with multiple children, it’s not uncommon for both to claim a dependent child and both to claim head-of-household status. It’s hard to argue for two heads of the household under one roof, given the expenses rule.
What happens if you file as Head of Household?
You may be able to claim the head-of-household filing status on your federal return, which could score you a lower tax rate, a smaller tax liability and bigger tax refund (if you’re due one) than you would get by filing as single. So how can you qualify to file as head of household?
What does it mean to be Head of Household?
There’s a good reason many people want to claim head-of-household filing status with the IRS: It’s a great deal. The head of household can claim a 50% larger standard deduction than single filers can ($18,650 vs. $12,400).