My father died 5/3/2015 My mother filed widowed for 2015, single for 2016 as recommended. She owed nothing in 2015 & nothing for 2016. Does she need to file?

[RebeccaC]

Did she have any income?

[jewel]

$17 in interest & $367 in dividends - So she files?

[RebeccaC]

If she had income yes she would need to file

[jewel]

$367 is capital gains.  $17 interest & $116  Qualified Dividends

[pk]

you say your father died during 2015, so your mother should have filed Married Filing Joint for 2015, widowed/ single  for 2016 --- and are you saying that her  total world income is only $367 capital gains, $xxxx total dividends, $116 Q-dividends and $17 interest income ?  How does she live  -- did she have social security, IRA or pension from your father ?    Do you supprot her  or what ?

[jewel]

& her Social Security

[pk]

If that is the totality of her income -- Interest income, Dividend income, Social Security  -- then she may not have to file because her taxable income after standard deduction and exemption would be  ZERO ( negative ).

[pk · Accepted solution]

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