You would be shocked on the amount of taxpayers that file the incorrect filing status.
Thousands of taxpayers get audited because they incorrectly file the wrong filing status.
This is an immediate trigger for the IRS. As a result the rest of their tax return get audited.
This is How Determine Your Correct Filing Status for IRS purposes:
Determining your filing status is one of the first steps to filing your federal income tax return.
There are five filing statuses:
1.Single,
2.Married Filing Jointly,
3.Married Filing Separately,
4.Head of Household and
5.Qualifying Widow(er) with Dependent Child.
Your IRS filing status is used to determine your filing requirements, standard deduction, eligibility for certain credits and deductions, and your correct tax.
You can qualify for more than one filing status.
Here are eight facts about filing status that the IRS wants you to know so you can choose the best option for your situation.
1. Your marital status on the last day of the year determines your marital status for the entire year.
2. If more than one filing status applies to you, choose the one that gives you the lowest tax obligation.
3. Single filing status generally applies to anyone who is unmarried, divorced or legally separated according to state law.
4. A married couple may file a joint return together.
The couple’s filing status would be Married Filing Jointly.
5. If your spouse died ( sorry to hear ) during the year and you did not remarry during 2011, usually you may still file a joint return with that spouse for the year of death.
6. A married couple may elect to file their returns separately.
Each person’s filing status would generally be Married Filing Separately.
7. Head of Household generally applies to taxpayers who are unmarried.
You must also have paid more than half the cost of maintaining a home for you and a qualifying person to qualify for this filing status.
8. You may be able to choose Qualifying Widow(er) with Dependent Child as your filing status if your spouse died during 2009 or 2010, you have a dependent child, have not remarried and you meet certain other conditions.
