Your W-4 does not dictate the filing status you use on your tax return when you prepare it. The W-4 only tells the employer how much tax to withhold from your wages. The W-4 only goes to the employer--not to the IRS. You do not "have" to change your W-4 unless you want to.
Very sorry for your loss. If your spouse passed away in 2023 you were allowed to file a joint return for 2023. If you still have dependent children you can file as a qualified surviving spouse (widow) for the next two tax years; otherwise you will file Single for the upcoming tax years.
https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/calculators/w4/
https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw4.pdf
**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**
