topic Can I file as Qualified Surviving Spouse? Husband passed away 8/2024. I have 1 adult child living with me with no income. I claim her as a $500 dependent. in Get your taxes done using TurboTax

Can I file as Qualified Surviving Spouse? Husband passed away 8/2024. I have 1 adult child living with me with no income. I claim her as a $500 dependent.

atate913 — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 16:59:28 GMT

Re: Can I file as Qualified Surviving Spouse? Husband passed away 8/2024. I have 1 adult child living with me with no income. I claim her as a $500 dependent.

xmasbaby0 — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 17:10:15 GMT

So sorry for your loss. For the year that your spouse passed, you could file a joint return. For the next two years after that, you can file as a Qualifying Surviving Spouse if you have a qualifying child as a dependent. You say that you have an "adult child" living with you, with no income. Is the adult child a college student? Disabled? Provide some details----we cannot tell whether your adult child is a qualifying child dependent or a qualifying relative dependent.

WHO CAN I CLAIM AS A DEPENDENT?

You can claim a child, relative, friend, or fiancé (etc.) as a dependent on your 2025 taxes as long as they meet the following requirements:

Qualifying child

They're related to you.
They aren't claimed as a dependent by someone else.
They're a U.S. citizen, resident alien, national, or a Canadian or Mexican resident.
They aren’t filing a joint return with their spouse.
They're under the age of 19 (or 24 for full-time students).

No age limit for permanently and totally disabled children.

They lived with you for more than half the year (exceptions apply).
They didn't provide more than half of their own support for the year.

Qualifying relative

They don't have to be related to you (despite the name).
They aren't claimed as a dependent by someone else.
They're a U.S. citizen, resident alien, national, or a Canadian or Mexican resident.
They aren’t filing a joint return with their spouse.
They lived with you the entire year (exceptions apply).
They made less than $5200 in 2025 (not counting Social Security)
You provided more than half of their financial support.

Re: Can I file as Qualified Surviving Spouse? Husband passed away 8/2024. I have 1 adult child li...

TomK2023 — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 17:22:27 GMT

That depends. As Champ xmasbaby0 replied earlier...

For the the year your husband passed away, you can still file as Married Filing Jointly.

For the 2025 and 2026 tax years, you may be able to file as a Qualifying Surviving Spouse (QSS) dependent on the age and student status of your adult child.

Your dependent daughter ($500) only counts for QSS if she meets these Qualifying Child tests:

Under age 19 at the end of the year, OR under age 24 if she is a full-time student for at least five months of the year.
If she is permanently and totally disabled, the age limit does not apply.
She must have lived with you for the entire year (except for temporary absences like school).

If she is over 24 and is not a "student" or "disabled," she is probably considered a Qualifying Relative rather than a Qualifying Child... thus, you would not be eligible for Qualifying Surviving Spouse.

However, you would still likely be eligible to file as Head of Household (HOH) which is better than filing as "Single" (Standard deduction for HOH is higher).