Tax Tip 2026-55: Types of major life events and how they can affect filing

Issue Number: Tax Tip 2026-55

Types of major life events and how they can affect filing

There are several kinds of major life events that can affect a taxpayer’s filing requirements, tax benefits and withholding. It could be marriage, welcoming a new child, divorce, or loss of a loved one- all of these can impact their tax situation. Here are some common life events and an overview of their effects.

Marriage
Getting married may affect a taxpayer’s filing status, tax withholding and eligibility for certain tax benefits. Newly married couples should report any name change to the Social Security Administration and any address change to the U.S. Postal Service, employers and the IRS. They should also review their tax withholding and update their W-4 with their employer, if needed.

Birth or adoption of a child
A new child may make taxpayers eligible for tax benefits, including the Child Tax Credit, Adoption Credit or Child and Dependent Care Credit. There are individual eligibility requirements for each type of credit. The parent’s or taxpayer must have a valid Social Security number along with the child, to apply.

Divorce or legal separation
Getting divorced or legally separated affects filing status, tax withholding, who can claim dependents, and eligibility for certain credits and deductions. Changes to income, withholding and filing status may require taxpayers to update their Form W-4.

Death of a spouse or family member
The death of a spouse or loved one can affect filing requirements and status. In general, a final individual income tax return of a deceased person should be filed the same way if the person were alive. All income must be reported up to the date of death along with the claiming of any eligible credits or deductions.

After any major life event, taxpayers should review their withholding, update their personal information and keep important records. IRS online tools and resources at IRS.gov can help taxpayers understand how these changes may affect their taxes and prepare them for the next filing season.

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