27-33-13 - Head of family defined. - Mississippi Statutes

§ 27-33-13. Head of family defined.
 

The words "head of a family" when used in this article shall mean a natural person, and be limited to the following: 
 

(a) A married person living with husband or wife. 

(b) A person who is unmarried but who permanently maintains a home occupied by himself or herself. 

(c) A husband living apart from his wife, but not divorced, having legal custody of one or more of their children and occupying and maintaining a home for them; but if the husband does not have legal custody of one or more children he shall be considered the head of a family if he occupies the home eligible for exemption at the time of separation. 

(d) A wife living apart from her husband, but not divorced, having legal custody of one or more of their children and occupying and maintaining a home for them; but if the wife does not have legal custody of one or more children she shall be considered the head of a family if she occupies the home eligible for exemption at the time of separation. 

(e) A person who is unmarried, a resident of the state, and permanently maintains a bona fide home for the benefit of one or more persons who are legally, morally, through blood relation or by assumed responsibility, dependent upon him for support even though the said unmarried person, from necessity, does not regularly reside in the home so maintained; but only one (1) home may be so exempted to one (1) person or for the same group. 

(f) Any one (1) of a group of two (2) or more persons related within the third degree, computed according to the rule of the civil law, when the members of the group hold collectively eligible title, and the group occupies and maintains a home as defined in this article. 

(g) A minor child who holds eligible title to and occupies a home when residing with parent(s) or other legal guardian. 

(h) The child of a testator who is responsible for the payment of taxes on a dwelling and the eligible land on which it is located in which he holds a remainder interest in the dwelling and eligible land (as defined in Section 27-33-17(h)). 

(i) A husband living apart from his wife, but not divorced, occupying and maintaining a home, provided the husband submits satisfactory evidence that he has not filed a combined return with his wife during any year for which homestead exemption is sought by him. 

(j) A wife living apart from her husband, but not divorced, occupying and maintaining a home, provided the wife submits satisfactory evidence that she has not filed a combined return with her husband during any year for which homestead exemption is sought by her. 
 

Sources: Codes, 1942, § 9720; Laws,  1940, ch. 127; Laws, 1946, ch. 261, § 6; Laws, 1993, ch. 513, § 2; Laws, 1994, ch. 561, § 1, eff from and after passage (approved April 5, 1994).