I am a teacher who was widowed this April (2023). We filed jointly last year and have no children. I am on an unpaid leave of absence from work and will be until July 2024. I am wondering how all of this is going to play out for 2023 taxes and what I might need to do before the end of 2023 to make filing in the spring go smoothly.
Thanks for your advice!
MJ
Hi,
I am so sorry to hear of your loss.
This article does a really good job of explaining some common items you may want to think about. Since your spouse died in 2023, you may want to know you are able to file a joint return for the year of death, claiming the full standard deduction, and using joint-return rates.
As to other things, you should receive the standard tax documents related to your spouse's income. It's important to note that income earned before and after the date of death is treated differently. If you have an executor, they might prepare the tax returns. If you are handling the final tax return yourself, you may want to consider different TurboTax products available to you and whether or not you want expert assistance or a TurboTax expert to actually prepare your taxes for you.
If you have more specific questions, we are happy to help. In the meantime, I hope this information was what you were looking for.
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Regards,
Karen