Who signs a deceased's return?

[IsabellaG · Accepted solution]

If the deceased person was married, the surviving spouse  can file and sign the return. 

An estate executor or a personal representative, who is often a relative of the deceased, can also sign the tax return.

 So can an attorney, or any other person who's primarily responsible for handling the deceased's financial affairs.

See page 4 of this IRS link: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p559.pdf

" If a personal representative has been appointed, that person must sign the return. If it is a joint return, the surviving spouse must also sign it. If no personal representative has been appointed, the surviving spouse (on a joint return) signs the return and writes in the signature area “Filing as surviving spouse.” If no personal representative has been appointed and if there is no surviving spouse, the person in charge of the decedent's property must sign the return as the personal representative."

You can complete a decendent's final return using TurboTax, and you will be directed how to prepare and sign it. 

[joe-wms]

No where did Turbo Tax direct me how to sign it.

[efmrider]

Same here.  There are no prompts or instructions regarding this issue.  Further, the program continued referencing all the wonderful things Turbo Tax could do for my father next year.  I don't think he'll be filing a tax return next year.  The IRS can knock on his coffin.

[macuser_22]

@efmrider  The answer is in the answer box above - didn't you read it?

Follow the directions in IRS Pub 559.
<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p559.pdf">https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p559.pdf</a>

[memello]

I read it. It answers the question Who should sign, But, nowhere, here or on turbotax does it answer the question, Where? to sign.  under self? spouse?Paid preparer? as none of these are true, the question is Where.

[memello]

Found it irs publication 559. thought i'd share. sign on taxpayers line with your title. (ie. your name, executor)

[wdshumate1911]

the deceased is my son. i followed turbo tax< and the IRS keeps rejecting it.

[fanfare]

many filers have reported they can't e-File with a decedent using TurboTax but can with other software providers.

But if you don't have their AGI you will not be able to e-File.

You'll have to mail it in.

[Carl]

the deceased is my son. i followed turbo tax< and the IRS keeps rejecting it.

Sorry for your loss. Some things you need to be aware of here.  When someone passes, if the entity handling the final affairs (I"m talking about the funeral home here) has done their job, one thing they will do is to notify the social security administration of their passing. The SSA will mark that person's records accordingly, as they wait for any claims to survivor benefits if applicable.

Every year, around the Dec-Jan time frame the IRS pulls tax filer information from the SSA computers. So if your son's SSN was marked as "deceased" by the SSA, the IRS knows they've passed. The IRS will then permanently lock the SSN of the deceased so that it can't be used fraudulently. The most common error returned in that case when you attempt to e-file is "SSN LOCKED". But that's not the only possible error, be aware.

Therefore, if the IRS has locked the SSN you have no choice but to print, sign and mail the return to the IRS. If a refund is due on that return then you'll also need to include the IRS Form 1310 which you can get at https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1310.pdf

Supporting documents to verify your claim to the refund may or may not be needed also. It depends on to many factors to cover here.

[Suebo]

deceased person is my son he was not marrer andhad no children no assets and wasnot employed at time of death

[Suebo]

I am the mother with thepoa assigned by will do i need t o provide a copy of the POA agreement  

[HollyP]

@Suebo I am sorry for your loss. No you will not need to provide the POA, but you will need to indicate if you or anyone was appointed as personal representative (PR) by the court. The IRS will want a copy of the court order if a PR was named.