Question

Elroy, who is single, has taken over the care of his mother Irene in her old age. Elroy pays the bills relating to Irene’s home. He also buys all her groceries and provides the rest of her support. Irene has no gross income.

What is Elroy’s filing status?

Answer 1

Elroy's filing status is Single. Providing support to his mother, Irene, might allow him to claim her as a dependent but does not change his status.

Step-by-step explanation:

Elroy's filing status is likely to be Single since he is not married. However, the support he provides to his mother, Irene, may allow him to claim her as a dependent if she meets certain IRS requirements, but that does not change his filing status—it remains Single. The details provided do not suggest that Elroy is eligible for other filing statuses, such as Head of Household, which requires a qualifying person to live with the taxpayer for more than half the year among other criteria. In this scenario, Elroy's filing status would not be affected by the support he provides to his mother unless other conditions are met.