Signing for deceased

arejfour — Tue, 04 Jun 2019 19:42:21 GMT

My mother passed away Feb 2018. I'm in the process on preparing her 2017 return. Previously I signed her returns as POA, but, I'm told I can't sign as POA now. I am a trustee on her trust. How do I sign her return now and what supporting documentation would I need to provide, if any?

Sorry for your loss. These are the IRS instructions. See...

jtax — Tue, 04 Jun 2019 19:42:23 GMT

Sorry for your loss.

These are the IRS instructions. See if they answer your question.

Signature. If a personal representative has been appointed, that person must sign the return. If it is a joint return, the surviving spouse also must sign it. If no personal representative has been appointed, the surviving spouse (on a joint return) signs the return and writes in the signature area “Filing as surviving spouse.” If no personal representative has been appointed and if there is no surviving spouse, the person in charge of the decedent's property must file and sign the return as “personal representative.

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p559.pdf page 4

You are correct you cannot sign with a power of attorney. The power of attorney is terminated upon the death of a the principal. After death financial transactions are handled by a successor trustee (in the case of a trust) or an executor (if there is a probate estate). In some cases an interested individual can do certain things. You should probably consult with an attorney (estate) in your mother's state to see what you need to do to about her estate/trust. (I'd start with the attorney who drafted her trust). But that is separate from filing her 2017 return.

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Signing for deceased

Sorry for your loss. These are the IRS instructions. See...