The term \\"filing status\\" refers to the tax filing status chosen by an employee when they complete their tax forms. This is Form W-4 in the United States. The filing status indicates the taxpayer's marital status. It determines tax rates, tax credits, additional Medicare tax, and any other deductions applied to their income for federal income tax withholding purposes. Common filing statuses include: Single: Individuals who are unmarried, divorced, or legally separated Married Filing Jointly: Married couples filing a tax return jointly Married Filing Separately: Married couples file their own tax return, resulting in differing reimbursements Head of Household: Support for a qualifying dependent, such as a child or other relatives People choose different tax filing statuses for a variety of reasons. Couples may be in different tax brackets, have different bank accounts or savings accounts, someone is self-employed, owns a small business, etc.