Pennsylvania tax filings for spouse of deceased taxpayer

[CatinaT1]

Do you have a specific question?

[Call-A-Friend]

I have a question regarding the same topic.

TurboTax instructions indicate file the taxes as MFJ, then recreate them as MFS -- but you don't appear to have the option to reallocate the deductions and settings between the two filers.  Is there a reference somewhere to how to handle this?

[Call-A-Friend]

As a follow up - according to the website www.revenue.pa.gov

PA-40 

Under (D) Deceased - Use this status if the taxpayer, spouse or both died in 2020.  Enter the date of death.

For tax years beginning on or after 1/1/2013, a joint return can be filed by the surviving spouse and decedent when a spouse or taxpayer dies during the tax year if:   

1. The descendent did not previously file a return for the tax year.

-----this is the only line in the options that apply to me --- 

So -- TurboTax appears to be handling this incorrectly.  I will have to find a way to get around their prompts.

[ErnieS0]

@Call-A-Friend If the deceased person was listed first on the tax return, you can file a joint Pennsylvania tax return by switching the order of the individuals so the surviving spouse is listed first.

You will have to do this with federal as well.

Go to Personal Info and switch the order of the taxpayers. You will also have to change the ownership of all the items in the return so they are correct, for example, all W-2s and 1099s.

Check out Intuit Alumni @IreneS' answer to Can a Pennsylvania widow file jointly for year spouse died?

[Call-A-Friend]

@ErnieS0 
Yes, thanks!  You are spot on, I was just returning to update my post.

I read in the PA instructions that I must file with my name as the primary filer, all of the rest was easy, and in the end, it said I had a choice to file in PA as jointly or separately.  

I wish I had thought of this weeks ago, I wish the TurboTax software had flagged that in the beginning of entry to suggest that is how you should file.   After years of filing with my husbands name first, I thought it was the thing to continue.

Thank you again @ErnieS0