topic Changing my W4 in Get your taxes done using TurboTax

Changing my W4

GILLIAMTS — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 09:33:10 GMT

Hello,

What filing status should I use this year because when I filed my 2023 taxes through Turbo Tax I was instructed to file married filing jointly. When I start d my 2023 taxes I selected Widow because my spouse had recently passed away and I’d received an annuity and I will continue to receive it monthly. However I now know I will have to change my filing status on my W4.

Re: Changing my W4

xmasbaby0 — Wed, 29 May 2024 16:58:02 GMT

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

Re: Changing my W4

ClarissaA1 — Wed, 29 May 2024 17:05:35 GMT

When completing a new W4 after the loss of a spouse, you will select single as your filing status.

In most situations, the last married filing joint return will be completed for the tax year of the spouse's death. Following that final joint return, the surviving spouse will then file as single. A limited group of taxpayers may benefit from a qualifying surviving spouse status for two tax years following the death of a spouse, provided the surviving spouse does not remarry, still has a dependent living at home, and provides for more than half of the expenses of maintaining the household.

You mentioned that you are receiving an annuity following the death of your spouse (and that you will continue to receive it.) Assuming that this is a taxable annuity, you can handle tax withholding from that income stream one of two ways:
1. Contact the annuity provider and have federal (and state, if this applies to you) taxes withheld directly from your annuity payments.

2. Complete a new Form W-4 and report the total annual annuity income in step 4a (other income, not from jobs.) If you still have a dependent living at home, you can check the box for "Married filing jointly or Qualifying surviving spouse," otherwise, you would select "Single."