Can I claim Head of Household status after Spousal Abandonment in 2024?

Thanks for this info. Quick question - does the OP need any documentation to prove the spouse hasn't lived there for 6+ months? Like what if the wife suddenly shows up and disputes this? Also, would this be considered "abandoned spouse" status or is that something different?

For documentation, it's always good to have evidence showing the separation date - things like a change of address form for the spouse, separate utility bills, or even communication (texts/emails) acknowledging the separation. The IRS doesn't typically require this documentation upfront, but you'd want it available if questioned later. The "abandoned spouse" rule is essentially what allows the OP to file as Head of Household despite being legally married. It's part of the "considered unmarried" test that lets certain married individuals file as HoH when they meet specific criteria, like having a qualifying dependent and covering most household costs while living separately from their spouse.

Does it actually work for messy situations? My husband moved out in August but we're still technically married and I'm confused about whether I can file as HOH or have to do MFS. Would this actually give me different advice than TurboTax?

I'm a bit skeptical. How exactly does this work better than just talking to an accountant? I've never heard of specialized tax tools for separation scenarios and I went through a pretty messy divorce last year.

It definitely works for complicated situations! I was in a similar position - separated but not divorced by year-end. The tool asks specific questions about your living arrangements, financial responsibilities, and dependent care that many tax software programs gloss over. It then analyzes your eligibility for HOH status based on the actual tax code requirements rather than simplified yes/no questions. For your skepticism about using this versus an accountant, I found it super helpful as a first step. It's much more affordable than starting with an accountant, and it helped me understand my options before deciding if I needed professional help. The analysis includes citations to specific IRS rules so you can verify everything yourself. When I did eventually see an accountant, they confirmed everything the tool had told me.

How does this actually work? I thought the IRS phone lines were just perpetually backed up. Is this some kind of premium service the IRS offers that I'm not aware of?

This sounds made up. There's no way to "skip the line" with the IRS. Everyone knows they're impossible to reach. If this actually worked, wouldn't everyone be using it? I've been trying to reach them about an audit for months.

It works by using technology to navigate the IRS phone system and wait on hold for you. When they actually get a human IRS agent on the line, you get a call connecting you directly to that agent. It's not an IRS premium service - it's a third-party service that handles the frustrating hold time for you. I was super skeptical too! But after wasting entire afternoons on hold only to get disconnected, I was desperate. The way it works is pretty straightforward - they call the IRS and use their system to navigate the phone tree and wait on hold. When they get a human, they connect you. Nothing sketchy or line-cutting about it, just technology handling the frustrating part.

Thanks for bringing this up! I actually do have quite a bit of documentation. I've got text messages where she said she was leaving, bank records showing she stopped contributing to household expenses, and I filed a police report when she took some of her belongings in May. I've also been paying all the bills since then which shows I've been the only one maintaining the household. Would it be worthwhile to get a written statement from my neighbors or family members who know about the situation?

Yes absolutely get those statements! The more documentation the better, especially from "neutral" third parties like neighbors. People don't realize how often these situations get messy when exes try to dispute things later. One more thing - if you have any shared accounts that are still open, keep detailed records of who's contributing what. When I filed Head of Household after my separation, I created a spreadsheet showing I had paid 94% of our household expenses that year. The IRS never questioned my filing status, but having that ready gave me peace of mind.

Your filing status is determined by your situation on December 31st of the tax year. So if your children lived with you for more than half the year in total (doesn't have to be consecutive months), and you paid more than half the costs of keeping up the home where you and your children lived, you might qualify for HOH. The key factors are: 1) Did your children live with you for more than half the year in total? 2) Did you pay more than half the household expenses for the home where you and the children lived? 3) Are you and your spouse living apart for the last 6 months of the year?