What are qualifications to claim head of household??

Answer 1

Generally, to qualify for head of household filing status, all of the following must be true:

You were unmarried or considered unmarried as of the last day of the year.
You paid more than half the costs of keeping up your home for the year.
Your home was the main home for you and a qualifying person who lived with you for more than half the year.
The qualifying person met the requirements to be a qualifying child or qualifying relative.
You were not a nonresident alien at any time during the year.
Beginning in 2005, both of the following must be true:

Your qualifying person must be either a qualifying child or qualifying relative. See the new definitions for qualifying child and qualifying relative.
You must pay more than half the cost of keeping up your home in which you and the qualifying child or qualifying relative lived for more than half the year.

Answer 2

Head Of Household Qualifications

Answer 3

Requirements are

1. You are unmarried or "considered unmarried" (and the IRS has a definition of the "considered unmarried") as of the end of the tax year

2. You paid more than half of the cost of keeping up a home for the year

3. A "qualifying person" lived with you in the home for over half the year, OR you have a parent who is a dependent and meets the first two requirements. A person not very closely related to you is NOT a qualifying person even if they can be claimed as a dependent.

If you'll post details of the situation of the person who wants to claim head of household, someone can tell you whether they can or not.

Answer 4

Basically, you first have to be unmarried, second you have to pay more than 1/2 the cost of keeping a home for the year and 3rd, you have to have a dependant, or a person you created a household for.

Answer 5

You must pay expenses for a residence and have a qualifying child or relative live with you. Also, you must provide at least 50% support for the qualifying child or relative. One exception is: A qualifying relative could be living in a nursing home and you still provide at least 50% of their support.

Answer 6

My daughters father and I have split custody. I claimed her last year and he claimed her this year. He filed head of household for his home. Can I also file head of household for my home? He paid for expenses in his home and i paid seperately for expenses in my home.I just worry if I also file head of household that we will get audited.

Answer 7

To clarify Shrley S' correct information, if the dependent is qualified under the Qualifying Relative rule, they MUST be closely related to you such as mother, father, son, daughter, brother, sister, etc. A Qualifying Relative who is not related to you (live-in b/f or g/f) or is only distantly related (cousins, aunts, uncles, etc.) does not qualify for Head of Household status.

Answer 8

No, it's not just the person who earns the most. You have to show responisbility for a dependent that is under 18 or that you are married to, living in you home, and be able to provide proof of living expenses and pay more than 50% of those living expenses, ie rent, mortage, property taxes, phone bill, light bill, cable bill, heating bill, groceries, and cleaning and maintence bills in your name can help too if you are audited.

Answer 9

Typically the person with the highest income in the household.

Answer 10

I don't think there's any "official" criteria. It's just usually the person who makes all the decisions in the household, or the person who brings in the most/holds the most assets, which is usually the same person.