Deceased spouse

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My wife died last year and I indicated this on my 2023 taxes. I heard that I can still file a Married Joint return for 2024. Is that true?

Bsch4477Answer

Level 15

Expert Reviewed

No. File as single unless you qualify for Surviving Spouse.

To qualify for the Qualifying Surviving Spouse filing status, you must meet these four requirements:

You qualified for Married Filing Jointly with your spouse for the year they died. (It doesn’t matter if you actually filed as Married Filing Jointly.)
You didn’t remarry.
You have a child, stepchild, or adopted child you claim as your tax dependent. This doesn’t apply to a foster child.
You paid more than half the cost of maintaining your home. This must be the main home of your dependent child for the entire year, except for temporary absences.

Bsch4477

Answer

Level 15

Expert Reviewed

No. File as single unless you qualify for Surviving Spouse.

To qualify for the Qualifying Surviving Spouse filing status, you must meet these four requirements:

You qualified for Married Filing Jointly with your spouse for the year they died. (It doesn’t matter if you actually filed as Married Filing Jointly.)
You didn’t remarry.
You have a child, stepchild, or adopted child you claim as your tax dependent. This doesn’t apply to a foster child.
You paid more than half the cost of maintaining your home. This must be the main home of your dependent child for the entire year, except for temporary absences.

VolvoGirl

Level 15

You can file a Joint return as normal the year your spouse died. For the next two years following a husband's or wife's death, the surviving spouse can file as a qualifying widow or widower if they have a qualifying child. That basically lets you continue to use the same tax brackets that apply to married-filing-jointly returns. After the year of death if you don't have a child you file as Single. And then next year start over with a new return and new account.

See How to file if your spouse recently died
https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/small-business-processes/file-return-spouse-recently-died/L5ehM358X_US_en_US?uid=lcuxmxwq