Spouse passed away

9 replies
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My husband passed away Oct. 1 2021. Do I need to do anything different to file my return for 2021?

Level 15

Very sorry for your loss. For the year that your spouse died, you can still file a joint return. That way, you will get the married filing jointly standard deduction of $25,100 (+ $1350 for each spouse 65 or older) which will lower the amount of income you are taxed on.

In My Info, you will need to indicate that your spouse died. When his name is in My Info, there is a screen early in the interview that asks "Do any of these apply to [name] ?’” where you will do that, and then a drop down will appear where you can enter the date he passed.

If you have dependent children still living at home, you will be able to file as a qualified widow for the next two years after this tax return. Post back if you need further help.

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**

X

xmasbaby0

Answer

Level 15

Very sorry for your loss. For the year that your spouse died, you can still file a joint return. That way, you will get the married filing jointly standard deduction of $25,100 (+ $1350 for each spouse 65 or older) which will lower the amount of income you are taxed on.

In My Info, you will need to indicate that your spouse died. When his name is in My Info, there is a screen early in the interview that asks "Do any of these apply to [name] ?’” where you will do that, and then a drop down will appear where you can enter the date he passed.

If you have dependent children still living at home, you will be able to file as a qualified widow for the next two years after this tax return. Post back if you need further help.

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**

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ACOAuthor

Level 2

Thank you for your quick response. No we don't have any independent children. Then for 2022 I would file as single?

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AnnetteB6

Employee Tax Expert

No, as long as you did not remarry in 2021, you can still file a joint return with your spouse for your 2021 tax return.

As you go through the Personal Info section of the return, be sure to indicate that your spouse has passed away and the date of death. This will allow TurboTax to make the proper designation on your return as well as trigger any additional information screens to help you along the way.

My condolences for your loss.

Take a look at the following TurboTax article for further information:

How should I file my return if my spouse recently died?

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djej0523

Level 2

My spouse (husband) passed away on Oct 2 2023 He is the first name on taxes and we filed jointly. I am having difficulty logging into site and have already received message from Life Lock to insure I am attempting to log into account. Thank you Dale Johnson