How much do you have to make to file head of household?
Caleb Butler
Updated on April 01, 2026
First, you’ll get a lower tax rate. For tax year 2020, for example, the 12% tax rate applies to single filers with an adjusted gross income that’s between $9,876 and $40,125. If you file head of household, however, you can earn up to $53,700 before being bumped out of the 12% tax bracket.
Who can file as head of household 2020?
There are three key requirements to qualify as a head of household: You are unmarried, recently divorced or legally separated from a spouse. That means you must have lived in a residence apart from your spouse for at least the last six months of the year.
How do I file as head of household?
There are three key requirements to qualify as a head of household:
- You are unmarried, recently divorced or legally separated from a spouse.
- You must pay more than half of the household expenses for the year in question.
- You must live with a “qualified dependent” in your home for more than half the year.
Can you claim head of household without claiming dependents?
Generally, to qualify for head of household filing status, you must have a qualifying child or a dependent. However, a custodial parent may be eligible to claim head of household filing status based on a child even if he or she released a claim to exemption for the child.
What do you need to know about filing Head of Household?
This tax filing status commonly includes single parents and divorced or legally separated parents (by the last day of the year) with custody. It can also be an adult who is supporting a parent or other relative under certain circumstances. These certain circumstances can be tricky to understand. Also, people’s situations can be complicated.
What is the standard deduction for Head of Household?
Head of household filers also benefit from a higher standard deduction. For the 2018 tax year, the deduction for single filers is $12,000, but it climbs to $18,000 for those filing head of household. Deductions reduce your taxable income for the year, which can bring your tax bill down or bump up the size of your refund.
How old do you have to be to file taxes as Head of Household?
As of the end of the tax year, the child must be under 19 if he is not a student, or under 24 if he is a full-time college student. The child must not have paid for more than half of his living expenses during the tax year.
How does a Head of Household get a bigger tax refund?
For example, heads of household get a larger standard deduction than single filers. A tax credit reduces the amount of tax you owe to the IRS on a dollar-for-dollar basis. For example, if you owe $6,000 in taxes and claim a credit worth $1,000, your bill drops to $5,000.