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The Curious Bag
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The head of household status is an option you can select when filing your federal tax returns. It allows for a higher standard deduction than someone who is filing as a single person.
How to File
You must meet all of these requirements if you want to file as head of household. You are unmarried. You paid more than half the cost of keeping up a home for the year. A "qualifying person" lived with you in your home for more than half the year (except for temporary absences, such as school).
Exception
If the "qualifying person" on your form is your dependent parent, he does not have to live with you.
Benefits
If you qualify to file as head of household, your tax rate usually will be lower than the rates for single or married filing separately. You will also receive a higher standard deduction than if you file as single or married filing separately.
Forms
If you want to file as head of household, you must use tax form 1040 or 1040A.
Deduction
For the 2008 tax year, the standard deduction for those filing as head of household was $8,350.
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