Your marital status affects many federal tax filing variables, including your standard deduction, credit eligibility and tax owed. If you’re currently “informally” separated from your spouse but still legally married, the IRS generally considers you married for the entire year (even if you’ve lived apart for many months). Unless you divorced or legally separated by Dec. 31, 2025, you must file as married filing jointly or married filing separately for the 2025 tax year. If, on the other hand, you finalized a divorce or legal separation in 2025, you should file as single or, if eligible, head of household. Contact us if you have questions about filing your tax return.© 2026