Video: How to Prove Head of Household for the IRS

Hello, I'm Sara from TurboTax with some important information on filing as head of household. Are you single and live with someone you can claim as a dependent? If so, you may be entitled to a higher standard deduction, be subject to lower tax rates and increase the likelihood of qualifying for certain deductions and tax credits when you file as head of household rather than single.

One of the first questions you must answer on your tax return is your filing status. For most single taxpayers there are two options, single or head of household. Filing as head of household is a better choice if you live with your children or an adult dependent such as your elderly parent. To choose the head of household filing status, you should be prepared to prove your eligibility to the IRS if necessary.

The first thing you must be able to show is that you provide more than half of the financial support for your dependent. You can easily accomplish this by keeping records of your household bills, mortgage payments, property taxes, food and other necessary expenses you pay for. You also need to show that your dependent lived with you for the entire year unless the dependent is your child. In that case, it's okay to file as head of household if your dependent lived with you for at least half the year.