My deceased spouses SSN is rejected when I try to e-file, how can I fix?

[Vanessa · Accepted solution]

You will need to print and mail your return if you are filing a joint return with a spouse who died in 2018.  This is a security measure.  The Social Security Administration marked their SSN as deceased so the return cannot be e-filed.

If they died prior to 2018, you would not include them on your return. 

[Bonny K]

I found out how to avoid getting that error message! My FIL passed away last year. My MIL is the surviving spouse. I kept getting the same error message when I e-filed that many people have posted about. I switched the order of the two names, to put my MIL first, and the return was accepted within one hour! I was able to keep the deceased box checked for my FIL and I put "widowed" for my MIL.  Yay! Didn't have to submit by paper!  TT experts should say to try this, and the TT software should say it as well.