I got married in September, but my spouse and I maintained separate households through Dec. 31. Can I be considered unmarried for the year and use the head of household (HOH) filing status in this married living separately taxes scenario?
No. A spouse is considered part of your household even if he or she is gone for a temporary absence. If you and your spouse plan to share a household in the future, you’re not eligible to file as head of household. This is true even in the year of marriage if you maintain separate residences until the end of the year and were married filing separately living apart.
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