Filing Status

Tax Planning
Updated Apr 2026

An IRS classification that determines a taxpayer's tax brackets, standard deduction, and eligibility for certain credits.

Tax laws change annually and vary by country. The information on this page is for educational purposes only. Always verify figures with current official sources (IRS, HMRC, CRA, ATO) and consult a qualified tax professional before making any tax-related decision.

What is Filing Status?

Filing status is an IRS designation that determines the tax rates, standard deduction amount, and eligibility for credits applied to a tax return. The five statuses are: Single, Married Filing Jointly, Married Filing Separately, Head of Household, and Qualifying Surviving Spouse. Married Filing Jointly typically results in the lowest tax liability for couples due to wider brackets and a larger standard deduction. Head of Household provides a larger standard deduction and lower rates than Single for unmarried taxpayers who support a qualifying dependent.

Example

Example

Two individuals each earn $75,000. Filing as Single, each faces a 22% marginal rate. If they marry and file jointly, their combined $150,000 income benefits from wider joint brackets and a $29,200 standard deduction instead of two $14,600 deductions, potentially reducing their combined federal tax bill by over $1,000.

Source: IRS Publication 501 — Dependents, Standard Deduction, and Filing Information

Sources
  1. IRS — Publication 501
  2. Investopedia — Filing Status