Should I gave filed qualifying widower instead of head of household? Not remarried, he passed in 2014

[MelaineC · Accepted solution]

Yes.  In the year of his death you can file married filing jointly and two years after his death, you can use the Qualifying Widow(er) filing status if all 5 of the following statements are true:

1. For the year in which your spouse died, you filed (or could have filed) a joint return with your spouse.
2. You did not remarry (during the two years after the year of your spouse's death). For example, your spouse died in 2014 and you do not remarry before January 1, 2018.
3. You have a child or stepchild (not a foster child) whom you are able to claim as a dependent.
4. The child lived with you in your home all year, except for temporary absences. There are exceptions for birth, death, or kidnapping (see below).
5. You paid more than half the total cost of keeping up your home in which you and the child lived for the year. The total cost of keeping up a home includes food expenses, rent, mortgage interest, home insurance, real estate taxes, utilities, repairs, maintenance, and other household expenses.

If all those apply to you, you can go back and complete an amendment to your 2015 and 2016 tax return.  To do so, please use the instructions in the TurboTax FAQ below. 

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