[baselle]

I'm a VITA/EITC volunteer preparing taxes in Seattle. Regarding the EITC & married filing separately, we were taught that you can't claim EITC if you file married filing separately.

If your children live with you for more than half the year, you claim them as dependents, you provide for their support, you paid for over half the costs of keeping up the home, you did not live with your spouse for more than half of tax year (ie spouse was gone by June 30), (whew!)...its possible that you can file head of household.

You probably want to talk to a tax professional about this to firm up this possibility.