TurboTax

File with experts
File your taxes
Experts at your fingertips

An expert helps with your taxes, or does them for you
TurboTax Expert Full Service

TurboTax Expert Assist

TurboTax Self-Employed
Prior year taxes
File myself
File myself
Do it yourself

We'll guide you step-by-step
TurboTax Do It Yourself

TurboTax Self-Employed

TurboTax Desktop
TurboTax Free

Activate your product

Prior year taxes
Business
Business
Business taxes

Get your T2 corporate return done right, your way
TurboTax Business

TurboTax Business Desktop
Tax situations
Tax situations
Tax situations

Find extra guidance for your big life moves
For investors

For 25 and younger

For self-employed

For new to Canada

For life changes
Resources
Resources
Resources

Explore tax tools, get tips, and read reviews
Personal income tax calculator

RRSP savings calculator

Learning hub

TurboTax support (FAQ)

TurboTax community
Pricing

Level 1

Question

Tax Year Prior to 2020: My husband died last year. My return keeps getting rejected with a AGI erro. The amount listed is correct. Are paper returns required the year after a spouse died?

Forum|Forum|6 years ago
February 3, 2020
9 replies
10 views

No text available

TurboTax Deluxe Online

Irene2805

Level 15

I'm sorry for your loss!

While a paper return is not required the year after a spouse dies, it usually turns out that way. Either the IRS doesn't recognize the AGI from the previous year, or Social Security Administration freezes the deceased person's SSN.

You should print and mail in the return.

rdh

Level 3

I am having the same issue. My wife died in March of 2019. I completed my return and followed TurboTax's instructions to efile. However, my return was rejected twice with an AGI error for identifying my wife. I am going to file by mail; however, IRS.gov says we should be able to efile. The software should flag this issue for those in this situation. Also, there is something on TurboTax website about a form 1310. Does this form help?

DeanM15

Level 10

You may want to consider getting an IRS Transcript to see what they have for your AGI.

I am sorry for your loss.

You can use the IRS Get Transcript tool. Try the online option first. If you are unable to obtain the transcript online, you can have one sent to the address the IRS has on record for you. You can find IRS Get Transcript here.

Form 1310, Statement of Person Claiming Refund Due a Deceased Taxpayer, is not required in your case and would not do you any good.

From Form 1310 and instructions:

"If you are claiming a refund on behalf of a deceased taxpayer, you must file Form 1310 unless either of the following applies.

You are a surviving spouse filing an original or amended joint return with the decedent.
You are a personal representative (defined on this page) filing an original Form 1040, 1040-SR, 1040A, 1040EZ, or 1040NR (1040-NR beginning in 2019) for the decedent and a court certificate showing your appointment is attached to the return."

**Say "Thanks" by clicking the thumb icon in a post. **Mark the post that answers your question by clicking on "Mark as Best Answer"

screenerbabe

Level 2

Same. Been a frustrating year with dang companies not wanting to give me the money that is rightfully mine. My husband would have said "It's the family curse."

LindaB1993

Level 7

I have EFILED a decedent's return successfully. The Prior AGI should be the same number for both taxpayers if filing a joint return. Also, make sure the date of death matches the social security records.

**Say "Thanks" by clicking the thumb icon in a post. **Mark the post that answers your question by clicking on "Mark as Best Answer"

Shellzacct

Level 2

I wonder what you did differently? I've tried this twice - both rejected and even verified on IRS web site that the AGI was correct. Have used turbo tax for over 15 years and have never had this until now.

Turbo tax needs to inquire with the IRS and find out why so many are getting rejected. Father died in Feb of this year (2020) and this is for 2019 returns for he and my mother. Of course they freeze the account - as soon as the funeral home notifies them.... Spent the past 2 hours trying to get a hold of a person at the IRS with no luck.

So frustrating!

ray_crites

Level 2

Here is a link for mailing instructions.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/printing/help/how-do-i-print-and-mail-my-return-in-turbotax-online/00/26258

Jo36

Level 2

I have had the same problem. I did my return twice -- once with my husband's name first and then with my name first. I know I have the correct AGI. It has been rejected four times. I will probably mail the one with my name first since I live in Pennsylvania and they require separate returns if the deceased person's name is first on the federal form. I have used Turbo Tax for over 13 years, and have never had an issue, but this year has been especially difficult!

linaj20201

Level 14

I am sorry to hear about your loss. If you have tried all the methods mentioned above, you will have to mail your tax return, unfortunately.

See this post from MayaD: Decease spouse AGI

dianalarose

Level 5

TT is apparently still insisting, year after year, that this isn't their bug. It is absolutely their bug. Many people have switched to other online tax prep programs and had no problem filing the SAME return, SAME AGI. After my TT return was rejected several times last year, I tried FreeTaxUSA. My return was accepted within minutes, and I received my refund quickly and promptly.

dianalarose

Level 5

**TO EVERYONE WHO WAS WIDOWED AND WHOSE RETURN IS BEING REJECTED BECAUSE OF AGI ERROR**

This is a bug in TurboTax. They will tell you that you must file a paper return. THIS IS NOT TRUE. After my return was rejected, I used FreeTaxUSA and was accepted in minutes.
I do not work for FreeTaxUSA, I'm just a person trying to get my refund as quickly as possible.

vbatt

Level 2

I do my parents taxes (married filing jointly) each year with TT. My dad passed away in 2020 and I too was also getting the same error for AGI or Pin incorrect and getting rejected. My dad was always listed first when using the software. I flipped it around so my mom was listed first in the personal info area, making sure to check that my dad died and the correct date of death. Also make sure birthdate for each person is correct. Along with that i had to change the 1099R and SSA information since the values had to match the correct person. When submitting, I entered the AGI from the previous year, entered my mom's 5 digit PIN, submitted and was accepted!!!! WOOHOO!!!

suec2525

Level 2

I encountered the same error...3 bad attempts with accurate info. This solved my problem: I re-worked my federal return and made myself "TAXPAYER" and my deceased husband "SPOUSE". I had to go through the whole return because certain income and deductions needed to be "flipped" as well. It was certainly better than printing off my very lengthy return (31 pages) and mailing it! Return was accepted first time out! I hope this helps!

eerickso1464

Level 4

Same here. It is just insane and completely unacceptable that the TurboTax “experts” cannot resolve this.

shaniko

Level 2

Yes, the same thing happened to me this year--2020. My husband died in August. I paid to have tax returns sent electronically and tried sending them again to no avail. I finally printed them and sent them on February 16, 2021. It is now May 9 and I still have not received my refund although when I check the IRS it shows they have them.

dianalarose

Level 5

But what if YOU were always the primary taxpayer when filing jointly? That was my situation when my husband died, and my return was rejected even though I used the correct AGI. I tried using zero, as suggested by some people, but no soap. Finally, I used a different software program to electronically file exactly the same information, and my return was accepted by the IRS within minutes. And my refund was deposited less than 2 weeks later.
Obviously, the IRS did not cause the problem!