IRS reference number 1581 freezes my refund; Live IRS Agent Claims my filing status was wrong - reason for freeze

Forum|Forum|2 months ago
May 5, 2026
1 reply
718 views

My spouse died on 21 March 2024. According to the IRS via email and a follow-up phone call to a live agent, my 2024 tax return required a hand written statement: 'Wife Deceased on March 21, 2024;' and filing as a 'Surviving Spouse'. At that time, the live agent stated that my 2025 tax return would reflect my filing status as: 'Single'. My 2025 tax return was accepted by the IRS in March '26. I filed as 'Single'. Approximately a month later, received an IRS notification on my IRS account: "Please mention reference number 1581 to the IRS Customer Service Representative." After numerous IRS phone calls in March and April 2026, I was informed by an IRS agent that I would receive a paper check (even with my banking information was on my 2025 tax return). The IRS notification was removed on my IRS account notifications. After two weeks, the old notification of IRS reference number 1581 re-appears on my IRS account notifications. This time, I am not allowed to talk to an IRS agent. Was my 'Single' filing status for 2025 wrong? Was I steered wrong by the live IRS agent in 2024?

VolvoGirl

Level 15

Sorry for you loss. My husband died in 2023. Yes you filed 2024 wrong. If she died in 2024 you still file 2024 as a normal Joint return. You enter the date of death under her name and it will be written at the top of your 1040 automatically.

THEN For the next two years following a husband's or wife's death, the surviving spouse can file as a qualifying widow or widower if they have a qualifying child. That basically lets you continue to use the same tax brackets that apply to married-filing-jointly returns. After the year of death if you don't have a child you file as Single. To file Single you have to start over with a new return and new account. And don't transfer from the Joint return.

See How to file if your spouse recently died
https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/small-business-processes/file-return-spouse-recently-died/L5ehM358X_US_en_US?uid=lcuxmxwq

retsgtaAuthor

Level 2

Volvogirl (15), thank you for your response. I've completed this activity already with my 2025 1040-SR. No prior issues for the 5 previous years of filing. Last year, filed my 2024 1040-SR with my deceased wife's date of death (21 March 2024 with explanation was added to the top of my return) and received my refund. This year, received a notice for additional information on my IRS account. A phone call to an IRS agent and their supervisor were both clueless as to why I received a notice for additional information for the 2025 1040-SR. Also, neither the agent or supervisor could explain why there was a 'freeze' on my IRS refund. Both the agent and the supervisor stated that I had completed everything correctly on both my 2024 and 2025 1040-SR federal income tax returns. A few days later in May '26, the 'notice' was removed from my IRS account. In closing, I guess that I must wait for further IRS correspondence.