Tax Filing Status: Single Filers

Filing taxes as single in 2026

Put simply, single filing status is for unmarried people who do not qualify for any of the other 4 statuses. Fun fact: if you’re legally divorced on the last day of the year, the IRS sees you as unmarried for the whole year. Your Tax Pro can work with you on the specific details of your situation, but we’ll give an overview of filing statuses below.

What are the 5 tax filing statuses?

There are 5 tax filing statuses the IRS recognizes.

• Single
• Married filing jointly
• Married filing separately
• Head of household
• Qualifying surviving spouse

You can fall into more than one filing status (for example, married taxpayers can file jointly or separately), so it’s best to go with the status that offers the maximum deductions and credits you’d qualify for.

How do I choose my filing status?

Your filing status is a direct result of your current marital status. Meaning, you’re either married and can file jointly or separately, or you are unmarried and able to file as single, qualifying surviving spouse, or head of household. We break down the qualifications of the 5 statuses in the section above.

If you do have a choice, check with your Jackson Hewitt Tax Pro to figure out what’s the best option for saving you on taxes, and potentially getting you a bigger refund. This is important, as your situation in life (married, divorced, young child, widowed, etc.) can change as often as the IRS tax laws.

What’s the difference between head of household and single?

Head of household is the most misunderstood status, so be careful. It’s for unmarried people who provided at least half of the cost to maintain a home for the year (mortgage or lease, property taxes, repairs, food, and household expenses), while there is one other qualifying individual living in the home for more than six months of the year. No, you cannot claim a head of household status for being the one who makes the most money in your family. To the IRS, you must be unmarried and have a dependent to qualify. A single parent with a 16-year-old dependent child living at home is a good example of a head of household status.

Certain married individuals may also qualify as head of household. These individuals are “considered unmarried” for tax purposes. They must meet these three criteria:

• A dependent child, stepchild or foster child must live with the taxpayer for more than half the year,
• The taxpayer did not live with their spouse at all during the last six months of the year, and
• The taxpayer provided more than half the support of the household for them and their qualifying child.

What are tax brackets?

The tax bracket you fall into determines the percentage of your income you pay to the IRS. The current federal income tax rates are 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, and 37%. Your filing status and taxable income for the year determine your tax bracket.

Are 2026 tax brackets different than 2025?

The 7 federal income tax rates remain the same. However, there’s good news. Due to inflation, the IRS  updated the income bracket thresholds for each of the 7 tax rates to help prevent you from paying higher taxes because your cost of living has also increased. This adjustment could mean you’ll pay less tax because you could be in a lower tax bracket than you were last year.

2026 tax brackets for single filers

The tax rates and brackets for single filers are in a helpful chart below.

2026 single filer tax brackets

Standard deduction for single filers

As mentioned above, the IRS has five filing status options for taxpayers required to file income taxes. You can file as single, married filing jointly, married filing separately, head of household, or qualifying surviving spouse. The standard deduction depends on your filing status.

A Tax Pro can help you with choosing the right filing status. Choosing the correct status can save you big dollars at tax time but choosing the wrong one can cost.

2025 standard deductions

What are the advantages and disadvantages of filing single?

As always, work with your Jackson Hewitt tax professional about what filing status is right for you. Many people wonder about the disadvantages or advantages of certain filing statuses, but what’s most important is that you file using the most accurate and advantageous filing status for your specific situation. Remember, you never have to tax alone. Find a local Tax Pro today.

About the Author

Mark Steber is Senior Vice President and Chief Tax Officer for Jackson Hewitt. With over 30 years of experience, he oversees tax service delivery, quality assurance and tax law adherence. Mark is Jackson Hewitt’s national spokesperson and liaison to the Internal Revenue Service and other government authorities. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), holds registrations in Alabama and Georgia, and is an expert on consumer income taxes including electronic tax and tax data protection.

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