For 8 years, I have filed a 1041 for my parents' EIN as a grantor's trust with a pointer to their 1040 where taxes were paid on trust income under their SSNs. My father passed and then my mother in 9/2020. First, do I need yet another EIN (again, already have one) even though I am already trustee and have been for 8 years? I hope not as it will be a pain to transfer all of their brokerage/bank accounts. Secondly, how do I handle my mom's 2020 taxes? I am thinking I do the usual 1040 for my mom and the 1041 as a grantor's trust again but only covering through her passing (September 2020). Then what, do I need another 1041 for the trust alone which now becomes an simple trust for September 2020 through 12/31/2020? Or, do I do another 1041 and also Form 8855 so that the trust can avoid paying taxes until the fiscal year has passed and also avoid estimated tax. This will give me more time to distribute assets to the two beneficiaries. Thank you for any insight and advice.
