I am sorry for your loss.
Please see a response from Carl to a similar question.
If you filed a joint return in 2018, then you can do the same for 2019 also. The IRS says you can. That way, you get to take your spouse's standard deduction for the entire year, even if they passed one minute after midnight on new year's eve.
When completing the return, DO NOT under any circumstances change the order in which the joint filers are listed on the return. If you do, then the return will be rejected by the IRS computers.
Also, when going through the personal information for each joint filer, make sure to check the box for "This tax filer passed away in 2019" for the deceased spouse.
Now, the IRS gets their SSN/Name/Status information from the social security administration computers every year. So it's perfectly possible that when you go to e-file your joint return, it will be rejected by the IRS computers with an "SSN LOCKED" rejection message. If that happens, then you have no choice but to print, sign and mail the return to the IRS.
If a refund is due and you want that refund deposited to a bank account by the IRS, then that account *MUST* have both of your names on it. If it does not, then the bank is required to reject the refund back to the IRS, and this will delay your refund by months. So don't close any bank accounts yet, that have both of your names on it, if you want any refund due to go to that account.
E-file rejection errors IND-018 and IND-019: In Care Of Name required for deceased taxpayer
[Edited 02.18.20 | 12:49 PM]
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