Here are some basic rules.
1. If your father had taxable income more than $12,400, he has to file a final tax return for the year he died. The person who files that return is the person who is named executor or administrator of their estate. It might or might not be you, and you may have to file a form with the probate court to be named administrator (even if it is a small estate that does not need formal probate, you might need to file some simple forms.
This type of tax return is a normal form 1040 and can be prepared with any personal tax program you like, you just need to check a box that the person died, report all their taxable income and deductions the same way you would do your own return, and sign the return as the personal representative of the deceased. It's very simple and if you have any problems at all, it would probably be in gathering the info, not filing the return.
2. If your father has income after his death, that goes to his estate. His estate is a separate legal entity from his person, and the estate has to file a different tax return. So you might have to file both a final personal tax return and an estate tax return, depending on the situation. (In some cases, an estate can go on for many years if the deceased is still earning income, like from book or music royalties.)
3. Turbotax has a "live" version that includes assistance from an accountant, but that is not available for the 2020 tax return. It will be available starting in late January for 2021 tax returns.
For further help, we need to know the answers to a couple of questions.
- When did your father die?
- Are you asking about a personal or an estate tax return?
- Are you asking about 2020 or 2021?
- Do you have access to his financial papers showing his income and deductions (social security statement, 1099-R from pensions and retirement accounts, etc.)?
