Tax Related Questions > Personal Information

Who must file taxes? If your gross income was as least as great as the amount shown below and you are under 65 years old, you must file an income tax return Single - $9,5...
What are the types of filing statuses? There are five possible filing statuses, based on your marital status and family circumstances, which determine the amount of your standard deduction,...
Single Filing Status Single is the default filing status for taxpayers who are unmarried or considered unmarried. Your marital status on the last day of the calendar year...
Married Filing Jointly Filing Status Married filing jointly is one of two filing statuses available to married taxpayers, the other being married filing separately. Married filing jointly...
Married Filing Separately Filing Status Married filing separately is one of two filing statuses available to married taxpayers, the other being married filing jointly. Married filing separat...
Head of Household Filing Status Head of household is a special filing status that allows for several unique tax breaks such as a higher standard deduction, lower tax rates, and more ...
Qualifying Widow(er) with Dependent Child Filing Status Those who lose a spouse during that tax year can file a joint return for the tax year of their spouse’s death. But for the next two years those who ha...
What is my principal residence? Your principal residence, also known as your main home, is the home you live in most of the time. It can be a house, houseboat, mobile home, cooperati...
What should I do about a change of address? You need to let the IRS know if you change your permanent address. If it’s tax time, all you have to do is fill in your new address in the address sec...
What are personal exemptions? A personal exemption is a tax deduction that allows you to reduce your taxable income, thus reducing the amount of income tax you owe. The amount of...
What tax breaks can a dependent get me? For every dependent you have, you are allowed to claim a dependency exemption, which decreases the amount of income on which you are taxed. For 2011 t...
What Is a Dependency Exemption? In addition to the Personal Exemptions for you and your spouse, the IRS allows you to substract an equivalent exemption amount from your taxable incom...
Who qualifies as a dependent? Dependents are divided into two categories: qualifying children and qualifying relatives, each with its own set of requirements. If your dependent is ...
What qualifies as support for a dependent? For the purpose of determining if someone is your dependent, total support includes the amounts spent to provide food, lodging, clothing, education, m...
Who Is a Qualifying Child for Tax Purposes? A qualifying child allows you to claim several tax breaks not available to taxpayers without children, such as the exemption for a dependent, the Chil...
Who Is a Qualifying Relative for Tax Purposes? Several conditions must be met before an individual can qualify as your relative. Namely, He or she cannot also be claimed as a qualifying child. Th...
Can an adult qualify as a dependent? You may be able to claim certain adults who are permanently and totally disabled, regardless of age, as a qualifying child. You may also be able to...
How can I find out if a college student is a dependent? You can claim a full-time college student under the age of 24 as a qualifying child, provided they pass all of the other tests. Education is considere...
Can I claim my boyfriend as a dependent? You cannot claim your boyfriend or girlfriend as a qualifying child. But you may be able to claim them as a qualifying relative, provided they lived w...
Can someone who is in prison be listed as a dependent on your income tax return? Yes, provided they meet all the requirements of either a qualifying child or qualifying relative. Generally this is going to require that the person i...