01 Apr My wife died last year. How should I file my 2019 tax return?

Q. My wife died in November 2019. She had income and expenses that year which I will report on my tax form. We always filed jointly as a married couple. In this year’s filing, should I file as “married filing jointly” or “single.”
— Widower

A. We’re sorry to hear about your wife.

When a spouse dies during the tax year, the taxpayer is considered married for the entire tax year.

“For 2019, you can either file using a married joint filing status or file separate income tax returns could be filed using a married separate filing status,” said Neil Becourtney, a certified public accountant and tax partner with CohnReznick in Holmdel. “There is no reason to suddenly file separate tax returns unless you determine it is more beneficial, which is generally not the case; it is just being mentioned as an option.”

Your joint 2019 income tax returns will include all your income and deductions plus the income generated by your wife while she was alive, he said.

Any income paid to your wife after her death would be reportable by her estate, he said.

For 2020, assuming you do not remarry, your filing status will be single, Becourtney said.

Email your questions to .

This story was originally published on April 1, 2020.

NJMoneyHelp.com presents certain general financial planning principles and advice, but should never be viewed as a substitute for obtaining advice from a personal professional advisor who understands your unique individual circumstances.