Does a surviving spouses (husband died in 2018) need to file a 2019 return to get the CARES stimulus check?

[Kmic]

I am doing the same thing. putting the money away.
A friend works seasonal for the IRS (furloughed right now) she says that the SSN should be blocked. 
I rested easy until the recovery check hit my bank account last night. 

[Melissa8191]

Well I guess they messed that one up already.  My mother got her stimulus deposit today and they gave her $2,400...$1200 for my father who passed 6/1/2019.  🤷‍♀️

[Melissa8191]

We have the same situation.  My father died

6/1/2019 and was on Medicare and SSDI.  Died in hospice, and my mom received his $1200.00 today... they deposited $2400 total.

[Beverly Overton]

My father just passed away July 2019 and my mother just received stimulus for herself and my father, so the statement that you made - “ Your deceased spouse's social security number is removed from use when your spouse passed away” can’t be completely true. Question is, how do we give it back to the IRS?

[Beverly Overton]

So does my mother need to hold on to the money until 2020 tax season to pay it back? She says she’s just going to transfer it to the savings account until the IRS comes back for it... what do we need to do?

[CSand]

I too am in a similar situation! Firstly, I send my condolences to all of you that have lost loved ones.

I received my husband’s economic stimulus check also.

Here is my take on the whole situation! No one anticipated this error on the SSI side! I think [might be wrong] that the “tax expert” Is a programmed response system! This was an unexpected SSI glitch and IRS is not sure what to do about it! If you read carefully, it says the payout will go out to all that has an active SS# that are income qualified! No fault of our own, these SS#s were never kicked out of the SSI system—the IRS program did not read the deceased portion on the 1099s! Hoping they just say we understand the burden we have inflicted on you by having to revisit your tragic loss and not requiring a payback! It will most likely costs more $$$$$$ to hire real people (throughout the US) to go backward in time to reprogram the systems and create a payback plan! Just a speculation? 

[DMarkM1]

There is no required payback of any stimulus money.  Any overpayments indicated by the 2020 tax returns will be forgiven.  Here is a link to the Tax Foundation page to answer many questions you might have.  

[sgarbelman3]

Hello, 

I am in the same situation. If you find any additional information about it, please let me know. I am just holding on to the money until I figure out what to do. 

[Kmic]

I agree with them not communicating information. I did everything right - I contacted a friend about this cause I did have a concern about whether I would receive the stimulus for my husband. 
I have placed his 1200.00 in savings in case the Treasury Dept wants it back. 
mid prefer to keep as I did everything right. Even my 1040 says at the top of the return that one of the joint taxpayers is deceased. I’m collecting SS survivors benefits and have been for 10 months. 
Thank you for your condolences. 

[Buggjuice08]

I’m truly sorry for your lost. I also receive survivors spouse SS and I was wondering did anyone else receive the stimulus check on their card for themselves and spouse 

[Kmic]

This cannot be taken as complete - a good friend works at the IRS phones and the employees have an informal chat before they start. They are WFH and right at this moment / they say that it’s ok to keep the money. 

[RecentWidow2020]

My situation is slightly different. My husband died in Jan. 2020. Social Security was advised. I filed our 2019 tax return as surviving spouse, had to mail it in as IRS rejected the e-file. I closed our joint checking account and opened one for me, not expecting to receive any funds for him. I will be opening one for his estate after I can take care of probate and go into a bank. 
Meanwhile, IRS sent the stimulus deposit of $2400.00 to the closed account. The bank sent it back since it was in his name and mine. So, instead of checking any other agency, or even their own, IRS sent a check made out to my deceased husband and me. I will not be able to cash it. My only option is to mail it back with a letter explaining the situation!

[Ladyvue2008]

Dad filed his 2019 taxes. Mom passed away in February 2019. Can he received the $2400 stimulus?

[Ladyvue2008]

Just curious. Did it say on the check beside his name "deceased?" My dad's name was on the check and my mom's name. Next to her name it said "deceased." She passed in Feb. 2019. The credit union won't accept the check. So now is Dad out that $2400? And if so, how can he get his $1200?

[Hal_Al]

@Kmic 

" the law that allows me to file married filing jointly (MFJ) for two years. 
my filing status will not change for the two years following my husbands death"

That's not correct.  You may only file as MFJ  for the year your spouse died.  There is a separate filing status called Qualifying Widow(er) (QW) that can be used for the two years following the death of a  spouse. However to use the QW status also  requires that you have a qualifying dependent child. 

QW is a filing status that allows you to retain the benefits of the MFJ status for two years after the year of your spouse's death, but does not allow you to actually file as MFJ.

Reference: https://www.efile.com/qualifying-widow-widower-tax-filing-status/