Contextual Help

Demonstrates three common approaches for providing contextual help within forms: tooltips for brief supplementary information, inline help text for persistent guidance, and expandable sections for detailed explanations.

This demo showcases three approaches to contextual help. Each approach suits a different level of detail and user need. Use them individually or in combination to guide users through complex forms.

Pattern 1: Tooltip Help

A tooltip provides brief, supplementary information on hover or focus. Best for short clarifications that do not require persistent visibility.

Pattern 2: Inline Help Text

Inline help text appears persistently below the label, providing guidance without requiring user interaction. Best for information users need before filling in a field.

Pattern 3: Expandable Help Section

An expandable accordion provides detailed help content that users can reveal on demand. Best for longer explanations or reference material that not all users will need.

Your filing status determines your tax bracket and standard deduction amount. Choose the status that best describes your situation as of December 31 of the tax year:

  • Single -- You are unmarried, divorced, or legally separated under state law.
  • Married Filing Jointly -- You are married and both you and your spouse agree to file a joint return. This generally provides the most tax benefits.
  • Married Filing Separately -- You are married but choose to file separate returns. This may be beneficial if one spouse has significant medical expenses or miscellaneous deductions.
  • Head of Household -- You are unmarried, paid more than half the cost of keeping up a home, and have a qualifying dependent.
  • Qualifying Surviving Spouse -- Your spouse died during the previous two tax years and you have a dependent child. This allows you to use joint return tax rates.

If you are unsure about your filing status, consult the IRS Filing Status tool for personalized guidance.

About This Library

Reference implementations of interaction patterns for NYS digital services.

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