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Hello joealdrich,

Thank you for your question. I am happy to assist you.

I am sorry to hear about your spouse’s passing. Please accept my condolences.

Since you have filed jointly with your spouse and she passed away in 2022, you may file your 2022 tax return using the “Married Filing Joint” filing status in 2023, unless you remarry in 2022. Filing a joint return allows you to still be able to claim the full standard deduction, as well as using any applicable joint-return rates.  

For the following two (2) years (2024 and 2025), as the surviving spouse you can file as a Qualifying Widower if you meet the following requirements:

1. You qualified for married filing jointly with your spouse in the year she died.
2. You did not remarry in the year your spouse died.
3. You have a child, stepchild, or adopted child whom you claim as a dependent on your tax return.
4. You paid for more than half of the cost of maintaining your home which must be the main home where your dependent child lives for the whole year, excluding temporary absences.

Please click on the following link for reference:

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/family/death-in-the-family/L5albFXM4#

Please let me know if this answers your questions, or if I can be of further assistance.

Thank you!

Shirleyh88