Filing Status Definition

Employees determine their tax filing requirements by their status. Filing status can be one of the following: single, married filing separately, married filing jointly, qualifying widow or widower with dependent child, or head of household.

Filing Status Extended Definition
An employee’s filing status dictates their taxes. Filing status also indicates whether someone is married or unmarried. Employees report their filing status on new hire forms, like Form W-4.

According to the Internal Revenue Service, to determine status, an employee needs:

  • Marital status or spouse’s year of death (if applicable)
  • The percentage of costs that household members contributed to maintaining the home

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Last Updated By

Rachel Blakely-Gray | Apr 27, 2023

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