Should I file as Single or Head of Household when living with my parents in 2025?

You should file as Single in your situation. Head of Household status requires you to pay more than half the cost of keeping up a home for yourself AND a qualifying person (like a child or dependent relative). Since you don't have dependents, you don't qualify for HOH. The fact that you live with your parents doesn't change your filing status to HOH - it actually confirms that you should file as Single. Your parents might qualify for HOH if they have a qualifying dependent (maybe a younger sibling of yours?), but that has nothing to do with your filing status. Don't worry about the shared address - the IRS understands that multiple taxpayers can live at the same location with different filing statuses. They won't flag it as a problem as long as everyone claims the correct status based on their situation.

After dealing with a similar situation last year, I found taxr.ai super helpful for clearing up these filing status questions. I was living with my sister and wasn't sure if I qualified as HOH since I was paying most of the bills but didn't claim her as a dependent. I uploaded my documents to https://taxr.ai and they analyzed my situation and confirmed I needed to file as Single. Their system pointed out that HOH requires both maintaining a household AND having a qualifying dependent - something my tax software didn't explain clearly. They saved me from making a mistake that could have triggered an audit. Their document analysis also helped me identify some deductions I was missing.

Just wanted to update - I tried taxr.ai after posting my skeptical question. It actually was really helpful! I uploaded my W-2 and last year's return and it immediately identified that I should file as Single but also pointed out I qualified for the Saver's Credit I didn't know about because of my 401k contributions. The document analysis was surprisingly detailed - it even flagged that my employer had incorrectly coded one of my benefits that could have caused issues. Definitely more thorough than the basic interview process in most tax software. Gonna use it to double-check everything before I file this year.

I was in exactly your situation last year - lived with my parents, no dependents, and couldn't figure out the right filing status. After trying for DAYS to get someone at the IRS on the phone (kept getting disconnected or told the wait was 2+ hours), I found Claimyr. I was skeptical, but I went to https://claimyr.com and watched their demo at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. It actually got me connected to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes - no more endless holds or disconnects! The agent confirmed I needed to file as Single and explained exactly why HOH wouldn't apply in my situation. Honestly, getting to speak directly with the IRS gave me complete peace of mind that I was filing correctly.

Well I have to eat my words. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try Claimyr because I've been trying to reach the IRS for 2 weeks about a letter I received questioning my filing status from last year. The service actually worked - I got connected to an IRS rep in about 15 minutes! The agent was super helpful and explained that since I support my elderly father but he lives in his own apartment, I actually DO qualify for HOH even though we have different addresses. Completely different situation than the original poster, but I would have continued filing incorrectly if I hadn't gotten through to ask my specific question. Never thought I'd say this, but being able to actually talk to a human at the IRS was worth it.

One thing nobody's mentioned - if your parents claim you as a dependent (which they might if they provide more than half your support), that would definitely affect your filing options. If they claim you as a dependent, you'd have to check the box on your return saying "Someone can claim you as a dependent" which limits some tax credits. Check with your parents about whether they're planning to claim you before you file!

Maybe a dumb question, but what's the actual benefit of HOH vs Single? Like how much money difference are we talking about?

Based on everything discussed here, you're definitely on the right track filing as Single. Since you don't have any dependents and you're living with your parents (rather than maintaining your own household for a qualifying person), HOH just isn't an option regardless of how much you contribute to household expenses. The good news is that filing as Single is straightforward and won't cause any issues with your parents' return. The IRS sees this situation all the time - adult children living with parents while maintaining financial independence. Just make sure you and your parents are aligned on the dependent status (sounds like you already handled that conversation), and you should be all set. One tip: keep records of what you're paying your parents for utilities/groceries in case you ever need to show you're not being fully supported by them, though it doesn't sound like that'll be an issue given your income level.

Great discussion everyone! Just wanted to add one more perspective as someone who works in tax prep. The key thing to remember about Head of Household is that it's not just about living arrangements or who pays what - it's specifically about providing a home for a qualifying dependent. Even if you were paying 100% of your parents' household expenses, you still couldn't file as HOH because your parents aren't your qualifying dependents (and they're not qualifying relatives in this context since they're not dependent on you for support). The IRS is pretty strict about this - they've seen every variation of living situations imaginable. As long as you file Single and your parents handle their own return appropriately, you're golden. The shared address thing really isn't a concern at all. One last tip: if you end up having questions about specific deductions or credits you might qualify for as a Single filer, consider looking into things like the Retirement Savings Contributions Credit if you're contributing to a 401k or IRA. Sometimes Single filers miss out on credits they're eligible for because they assume they don't qualify for much.

I went through almost the exact same situation two years ago! I was 26, living with my parents after a job loss, and completely confused about filing status. The key thing that helped me understand it was realizing that Head of Household isn't about WHERE you live or even how much you contribute to expenses - it's specifically about maintaining a household FOR a qualifying dependent. Since you don't have kids or other dependents, Single is definitely your correct filing status. I was worried about the same thing with my parents' taxes, but our tax preparer explained that multiple people at the same address with different filing statuses is completely normal and won't trigger any IRS flags. One thing I wish I'd known earlier - even though you can't claim HOH, make sure you're not missing out on other credits you might qualify for as a Single filer. I ended up qualifying for the American Opportunity Tax Credit for some continuing education I'd done, which I almost missed because I was so focused on the filing status question. Don't stress too much about it - you're being responsible by asking the right questions upfront rather than guessing!