What filing status should I use if my spouse passed away in 2025?
If your spouse passed away in 2025, you are considered to be married the whole year and you can file as Married Filing Jointly.
If you remarried on or before December 31, 2025, you can file Married Filing Jointly with your new spouse. You would also need to file a Married Filing Separately return for your deceased spouse.
If you don't remarry and you have a dependent child, you can use the Qualifying Surviving Spouse filing status for two years after the year your spouse died. So, you can use Married Filing Jointly for your 2025 tax return, then Qualifying Surviving Spouse filing status for 2026 and 2027.
If your spouse passed away in 2026, you can use the Married Filing Jointly status on your 2025 and 2026 tax returns.
If you don't qualify to use the Qualifying Surviving Spouse filing status anymore and you haven't remarried, you should use the Single or Head of Household filing status.
If you remarried on or before December 31, 2025, you can file Married Filing Jointly with your new spouse. You would also need to file a Married Filing Separately return for your deceased spouse.
If you don't remarry and you have a dependent child, you can use the Qualifying Surviving Spouse filing status for two years after the year your spouse died. So, you can use Married Filing Jointly for your 2025 tax return, then Qualifying Surviving Spouse filing status for 2026 and 2027.
If your spouse passed away in 2026, you can use the Married Filing Jointly status on your 2025 and 2026 tax returns.
If you don't qualify to use the Qualifying Surviving Spouse filing status anymore and you haven't remarried, you should use the Single or Head of Household filing status.
