I am widowed - filed joint last year as my husband had some income before he died, now what do I do

[brooksbend]

spouse died in 2017 social security number blocked

[SweetieJean]

See A in your other Q.

[KenH1 · Accepted solution]

File your 2016 tax return as married filing jointly. (If your spouse died during the year, you are considered married for the whole year for filing status purposes)

For the next 2 years, you may be entitled to the special benefits described later under Qualifying Widow(er)

If you remarried before the end of the tax year, you can file a joint return with your new spouse. Your deceased spouse's filing status is married filing separately for that year.

When completing the Personal Information: Name, Address, Age, Occupation portion of your return, you must include the information for your deceased spouse. You must check the "Deceased" box and state the date in which the spouse died. That information is required to file as "Married Filing Joint" after your spouse has passed away.

You may be eligible to use Qualifying Widow(er) as your filing status for 2 years following the year your spouse died. For example, if your spouse died in 2016 and you have not remarried, you may be able to use this filing status for 2017 and 2018.

This filing status entitles you to use joint return tax rates and the highest standard deduction amount (if you do not itemize deductions).

I am sorry for your loss.