When taxpayers file their tax return, it’s important they use the right filing status because it can affect the amount of tax they owe for the year.

It may even determine if they must file a tax return at all. Taxpayers should keep in mind that their marital status on Dec. 31 is their status for the whole year.

Sometimes more than one filing status may apply to taxpayers.

When that happens, taxpayers should choose the one that allows them to pay the least amount of tax. Here’s a list of the five filing statuses:

Single

Normally this status is for taxpayers who aren’t married, or who are divorced or legally separated under state law.

Married Filing Jointly

If taxpayers are married, they can file a joint tax return. If a spouse died in 2016, the widowed spouse can often file a joint return for that year in which the spouse died (but is not required to). The surviving spouse could files a tax as Single, because on December 31st, they were in fact single. If a return must be filed for the deceased spouse, the status would be Married Filing Separate, because that was their status on the date of death.

Married Filing Separately

A married couple can choose to file two separate tax returns. This may benefit them if it results in less tax owed than if they file a joint tax return. Taxpayers may want to prepare their taxes both ways before they choose. They can also use this status if each wants to be responsible only for their own tax.

Head of Household

In most cases, this status applies to a taxpayer who is not married, but there are some special rules. For example, the taxpayer must have paid more than half the cost of keeping up a home for themselves and a qualifying person, for example a single parent who has primary custody of a child, or a taxpayer that has an elderly parent living with them.

Qualifying Widow(er) with Dependent Child

This status may apply to a taxpayer if their spouse died during 2014 or 2015 and they have a dependent child. Other conditions also apply.