Final answer:
The term 'injured spouse' refers to someone who files a joint tax return and seeks a refund that was used for the other spouse's debts; the correct option is 'Be financially responsible for the debt'.
Step-by-step explanation:
To be considered an injured spouse (except in a community property state), the correct option is: Be financially responsible for the debt.
An injured spouse is a term used in tax law to refer to a person who files a joint tax return and can get back their part of a joint refund that was applied to the other spouse's past-due federal debts, such as federal tax, state tax, child or spousal support, or federal non-tax debt like a student loan.
Contrary to some beliefs, having joint bank accounts, filing a separate tax return, or being married for at least 5 years are not requirements to be considered an injured spouse.
It is important to note that being financially responsible for the debt means that the injured spouse was not legally obligated to pay the past-due amount.
Therefore, the correct option 4 is: Be financially responsible for the debt.