US Taxpayer Filing Status Benefit Simulator

Filing Status Advisor

Find the most advantageous filing status for your situation. Simulation is based on 2025 tax laws.

Enter Your Information

1. What was your marital status on the last day of the tax year (Dec 31)? Unmarried / Legally Separated / Divorced Married Widowed

2. Enter your total income.

Your Income

Spouse's Income

3. Select dependent information.

Do you have a Qualifying Child?

Did you pay more than half the cost of keeping up a home?

Additional information for widows/widowers

Year of spouse's death Current Tax Year Last Year Two Years Ago More than two years ago

Simulation Results

Tax Liability Comparison Chart

Filing Status In-Depth Analysis

The High Cost of Married Filing Separately (MFS)

Married Filing Separately is almost always the most disadvantageous tax status. Choosing MFS makes you ineligible for many major tax benefits, including:

Head of Household (HoH) & The "Considered Unmarried" Rule

The Head of Household status offers a significantly better tax outcome than Single. A legally married person can be "Considered Unmarried" for tax purposes and qualify for HoH status if they meet specific tests: (1) they file a separate return, (2) their spouse did not live in the home during the last 6 months of the tax year, (3) they paid more than half the cost of keeping up the home, and (4) the home was the main home of a qualifying child. This rule is a critical tax-saving strategy for separated couples.