Filing status

[Gary M1]

I filed as single and should have filed as a qualifying widower. Would that make a difference on my taxes?

[RobertB4444]

It might.  You would get a bigger standard deduction filing as a qualifying widower.

It's worth finding out.  Go ahead and amend the return in TurboTax.  Change the filing status and see if your refund increases.  If it does, file it.  If it doesn't forget about it.

@Gary M1 

[VolvoGirl]

Do you have a child?  When did your spouse die?  

You can file a Joint return as normal the year your spouse died. 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. And then the next year start over with a new return and new account. And don't transfer from the Joint return.