Form W-4 - T : Filing Status must be entered

[RogerSpendlove]

Smart Check gives me the above error, and then shows me four radio-buttons to select one:
No Entry
Singe
Married
Line 34

My filing status is "Qualified Widower" and I do not want to change that this year, so I'm confused about which option I should select to fix this error (and what does "Line 34" have to do with it?).

Whenever I select No Entry, TurboTax keeps coming back with this as an error needing to be fixed.

[ErnieS0 · Accepted solution]

You can use the qualifying widower status for two years following the year your spouse passed. Qualifying widower is equivalent to married filing jointly. The standard deduction and tax tables are the same for Qualifying Widow(er) and Married Filing Jointly filing statuses.

If your husband died in 2021, then choose married because you will remain a qualifying widower for 2023 (two years — 2022 and 2023).

If your husband died in 2020, then you will not be a qualifying widower in 2023 and should choose single.

You could owe a lot of tax in the year you are no longer a qualifying widower, so be sure to adjust your withholding.

You can also use TurboTax's free W-4 Calculator 2023 to change your W-4 at any time.

I am sorry for your loss.

[RogerSpendlove]

Thank you for the clarification. It would be nice if TurboTax, in this message would actually say "Married, or Qualified Widow(er)" since that is actually what the option on the actual form says.

Thank you again.