Using the right filing status can make a huge difference in your taxable income and your total tax bill. One of the most underused, legitimate filing status options is called Head of Household. And using this status instead of filing as single can lower your taxable income by $7,875 (for 2025).
There are rules about who can use the Head of Household (HoH) status, but more people qualify than they realize. And you might be one of them.
This would give you access to a much bigger standard deduction. And that can also help you qualify for other tax benefits, like restricted tax credits, that can lower the amount of tax you owe.
Keep reading to learn more about this valuable tax status and find out if you can use it.
A Quick Look at the Standard Deduction
Everyone who files a federal income tax return is entitled to use the standard deduction. This deduction lowers your adjusted gross income (AGI) by a set amount. It makes sure every taxpayer has some income sheltered from federal income taxes, no questions asked.
Your standard deduction depends on your filing status, age, dependency status, and whether or not you’re blind.
For tax year 2025, the standard deductions based on filing status are:
| Filing Status | Standard Deduction |
| Single or Married Filing Separately | $15,750 |
| Married Filing Jointly or Surviving Spouse | $31,500 |
| Head of Household | $23,625 |
Taxpayers who are over 65 or blind get additional standard deductions. Single and HoH taxpayers over at least 65 OR blind get an extra $2,000 standard deduction. That’s an extra $4,000 if they’re over 65 AND blind. Married taxpayers 65+ or blind get an extra $1,600 standard deduction each, and an extra $3,200 each if they’re 65+ and blind. Plus, for tax years 2025-2028, taxpayers over 65 get a bonus senior deduction of $6,000.
Dependents—meaning people who are claimed as dependents on someone else’s tax return—get a reduced standard deduction. The reduced deduction is either a flat $1,300 or their earned income (such as from a job) plus $450. But it can’t be more than the regular standard deduction.
The most important takeaway here: Filing as Head of Household instead of single grabs you an extra $ 7,875 deduction.
Who Can Use Head of Household Filing Status?
HoH tax filing status is pretty much what it sounds like: A single person who financially provides for dependents in their home, making them the head of a household.
Head of household requirements are stricter than for the other filing options. This filing status can only be used by people who:
- aren’t married (according to the IRS)
- are caring for a relative who lives in the home
- paid at least half the support for their total household
- paid support for at least one other related person for the tax year
You have to pay more than half the cost of maintaining your household for the tax year with your own money… without support from an ex or anyone else.
You also have to have a qualifying dependent, usually a child, who’s related to you. For this purpose, dependent means they can be listed as a dependent on your tax return, and not on their own or someone else’s. Qualifying relatives may include your unmarried child (unless they’re married and you can still claim them as a dependent on your tax return), a stepchild, a foster child, a sibling, a niece or nephew, a grandchild, your parent, a stepparent, or an in-law.
The qualifying dependent must have lived with you in that home for more than half the year. And you have to provide more than half of their support for the tax year.
If you meet all of those requirements, you can use the HOH filing status. That gives you a bigger standard deduction, better tax brackets, and more access to other deductions and tax credits… resulting in less taxable income and a lower tax bill.
What If …? The Most Common Questions I Get About Head of Household Requirements
Qualifying for the HoH filing status can be confusing, especially when your situation isn’t completely clear-cut. A lot of people avoid using this status for fear of getting it wrong and end up paying more taxes than they truly owe.
You’re separated but not yet divorced
According to the IRS, “not married” can be a gray area when determining your filing status. It generally means not legally married, but it also includes circumstances where a soon-to-be ex-spouse hasn’t lived in your household for at least the last six months of the year, as long as they’re not planning to move back in with you.
Practically, if you’ve been separated in living in different places since at least July 1 and you meet the other requirements, you can use the HoH status.
You’re divorced and share custody
Only one of you can claim Head of Household status for your qualifying child. The status goes to the parent the child spends more time with, typically measured by where they sleep.
If your qualifying child spends exactly equal time with you and their other parent, the IRS sets the deciding factor.. According to the IRS tiebreaker rules, the person with the higher adjusted gross income can file as HoH.
You and your ex switch off years to claim the dependent
Even if you have a legal agreement that calls for you to switch off years claiming the child as a dependent for tax purposes (like to get the child tax credit), HoH status is still based on where the child lives for most of the year.
If you meet the HoH requirements, you can use that filing status even in years your ex claims the child, as long as you could otherwise claim them.
Your kid is in college
If your child is a full-time college student and under age 24, you can use HoH status as long as you meet all of the other requirements. Living at school is considered living at home. It’s a temporary time away from the main home, but the child is still considered to be officially living in the household.
Extra Benefits When You File as Head of Household
The benefits of filing as HoH go beyond that extra $7,875 deduction.
This filing status also comes with some expanded tax brackets, so more of your money gets taxed at lower rates than if you used single status. The brackets even out once your income heads north of $103,000, but the lower income brackets are much broader.
Tax brackets are just income buckets used to figure out your total tax bill. Every dollar you earn falls into a bucket. When your income fills up the first bucket, every dollar you earn after that falls into the next bucket until that one gets filled. That cycle keeps going until you reach the overflow bucket, a.k.a. the top tax bracket.
Bigger brackets mean more of your hard-earned money gets taxed at lower rates – another HoH win.
Here’s what that looks like for 2025:
| 2025 Federal Income Tax Brackets | ||
| Tax Rate | Head of Household | Single |
| 10% | $0 to $17,000 | $0 to $11,925 |
| 12% | $17,001 to $64,850 | $11,926 to $48,475 |
| 22% | $64,851 to $103,350 | $48,476 to $103,350 |
| 24% | $103,351 to $197,300 | $103,351 to $197,300 |
| 32% | $197,301 to $250,500 | $197,301 to $250,525 |
| 35% | $250,501 to $626,350 | $250,526 to $626,350 |
| 37% | More than $626,350 | More than $626,350 |
Here’s what that looks like in practice. Say you’re a single mom with $88,000 of taxable income (after using the appropriate standard deduction, for math simplicity here – in reality, you’d use the bigger standard deduction and also have lower taxable income).
If you file as single, your taxes will come to $14,274. If you file as head of household, your taxes will come to $12,535. That’s a difference of $1,739, more money that you get to keep.
Bottom line: If you meet head of household requirements, switching your filing status from single can literally save you thousands of dollars. It takes just a few seconds. So, if you qualify, don’t be afraid to use it.
Looking for More Ways to Save Your Hard-Earned Money?
The truth is, there are dozens of tax deductions and tax credits that you may not know about that could keep more money in your pocket, come tax time. The only questions are whether you qualify and how much you can save.
I explain everything in my book, Taxes 101.
This easy-to-understand guide to the tax code shows you how it all works, so you can keep more of your money for yourself instead of giving it to the IRS.
Understanding the tax system helps you make better choices for your financial future.
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