Filing Status Calculator 2026
Work through marital status, spouse-death timing, household costs, and qualifying-person facts to find the likely federal filing status.
What this filing-status screen covers
The result screens the five IRS filing statuses. It treats a spouse who died during the year as married for that year, and checks the two-year qualifying-surviving-spouse window separately.
Head of household has detailed qualifying-person and home-cost rules. Married taxpayers living apart must meet every considered-unmarried condition; simply filing separately is not enough.
Frequently asked questions
Is filing status based on December 31?
Generally yes. Your marital status on the last day of the tax year controls, subject to special rules for a spouse who died during the year.
Can a married person file as head of household?
Only if the person is considered unmarried and meets the home-cost and qualifying-person rules, including living apart from the spouse for the last 6 months of the year.
How long can qualifying surviving spouse status apply?
It may apply for the two tax years after the year a spouse died if the taxpayer has not remarried and meets the dependent-child and home-cost tests.
Sources
Related Calculators
Federal Income Tax Calculator
10–37% brackets, $15,750 standard deduction, progressive calculation
Marriage Tax Calculator
MFJ vs single/HoH brackets — bonus or penalty by income
Dependent Eligibility Calculator
Screen qualifying-child and qualifying-relative tests for 2025 or 2026
Standard Deduction 2026
2026 amounts for all five filing statuses, the age 65+/blind add-on, the OBBBA senior bonus, and the dependent formula