Tax Write Offs for Widows
When you lose a loved one, you can face both emotional and financial hardship. Because of lost income, you may find it difficult to live on your own. Fortunately, the Internal Revenue Service offers a few tax breaks for surviving spouses of deceased individuals if they meet certain qualifications.
Other People Are Reading
-
In the Year of Death
-
When your spouse dies, you can still file a joint return for that tax year. Filing a joint return offers many tax benefits, including a larger standard deduction. As of the time of publication, the standard deduction for a married couple filing jointly is $11,600, while the standard deduction for a single filer or an individual who files separately from his spouse is only $5,800. Filing jointly with your deceased spouse also allows you to qualify for some tax credits, such as the earned income credit, with higher income.
Qualifying Widower
-
In the two years following the death of your spouse, you may be able to file your tax return as a qualifying widow. To use this filing status, you must not be remarried, and you must have a dependent child. Filing as a qualifying widow allows you to claim tax credits and deductions as though you had filed a joint return. If you don't itemize your return, filing as a qualifying widow also allows you to claim the same standard deduction you could claim if you had filed a joint return.
-
Head of Household
-
After you can no longer file as a qualifying widow, you may be able to file as head of household. To file as head of household, you must be unmarried on the last day of the tax year, and you must pay at least half the costs of maintaining a household. You must also have a qualifying person living with you for at least half the year. Using this filing status allows you to claim a larger standard deduction.
Considerations
-
If you are a widow and you must pay for child or dependent care so you can work a job, you may qualify for the child and dependent care tax credit. If you receive survivor benefits from Social Security, you may qualify to exclude your benefits from your taxable income if one-half of your benefits plus the remainder of your income doesn't exceed $25,000.
-
