26 CFR § 1.153-1 - Determination of marital status.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t26/s1.153-1"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "26 CFR § 1.153-1 - Determination of marital status."
title_number: 26
title_name: "Internal Revenue"
section_number: "1.153-1"
section_name: "Determination of marital status."
chapter_name: "INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY"
subchapter_number: "A"
subchapter_name: "INCOME TAX"
part_number: "1"
part_name: "INCOME TAXES"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "26 U.S.C. 7805, unless otherwise noted."
regulatory_source: "T.D. 6500, 25 FR 11402, Nov. 26, 1960; 25 FR 14021, Dec. 21, 1960; T.D. 9989, 89 FR 17606, Mar. 11, 2024, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "1"
---


# 1.153-1 Determination of marital status.

For the purpose of determining the right of an individual to claim an exemption for his spouse under section 151(b), the determination of whether such individual is married shall be made as of the close of his taxable year, unless his spouse dies during such year, in which case the determination shall be made as of the time of such death. An individual legally separated from his spouse under a decree of divorce or separate maintenance shall not be considered as married. The provisions of this section may be illustrated by the following examples: