Setting up your household profile

What Is a Household Profile?

Your household profile is the foundation of your tax return. It tells FileJoy who's in your family so we can calculate the right deductions, credits, and filing status for you.

Adding Family Members

Step 1: Open Your Household

From the dashboard, click Household in the left sidebar. You'll see a page where you can manage everyone in your household.

Step 2: Add a Person

Click Add Member and fill in the required details:

• **Full legal name** (as it appears on their Social Security card)
• **Date of birth**
• **Social Security Number (SSN)**
• **Relationship** (Primary Taxpayer, Spouse, or Dependent)

Step 3: Assign Roles

Each person in your household has a role:

• **Primary Taxpayer** — That's you, the main filer
• **Spouse** — Your legally married partner (if filing jointly or separately)
• **Dependent** — Children or qualifying relatives you support financially

Social Security Numbers Are Encrypted

We take privacy seriously. All SSNs are encrypted at rest using industry-standard AES-256 encryption. Only the last four digits are ever displayed in the app, and your full SSN is never exposed after you save it.

Mailing Address

You'll also enter your current mailing address. This is the address the IRS will use for any correspondence and it appears on your filed return. Make sure it's accurate—if you've moved recently, use your current address.

Managing Tax Years

Each household can have multiple tax years. When you add a new tax year, FileJoy copies your household members forward so you don't have to re-enter everyone. You can still make changes—for example, if you had a baby or a dependent aged out.

Tips

• Double-check that all names and SSNs match Social Security cards exactly—mismatches cause IRS rejections
• If you're unsure about who qualifies as a dependent, check our guide on filing status and dependents
• You can edit or remove household members at any time before filing