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May 5, 2025
Question

2019 tax return whose husband passed away in 2017

  • May 5, 2025
  • 1 reply
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What tax return status can she use?  Married Filing Jointly since it is still less than 2 years? Can she then use the standard deduction of the Married filed jointly since her husband passed away in late 2017?

    1 reply

    VolvoGirl
    May 5, 2025

    Only if she has a child.  

    You can file a Joint return the year your spouse died.  For the next two years following a husband's or wife's death, the surviving spouse can file as a qualifying widow or widower if they have a qualifying child. That basically lets you continue to use the same tax brackets that apply to married-filing-jointly returns.  After the year of death if you don't have a child you file as Single.