The Final Return (Decedent-s Final Form 1040) fully solved & updated

The Final Return (Decedent's
Final Form 1040) fully solved &
updated
decedent - answer person who died; an income tax return must be
filed for one if they met the filling requirements at the time of
death; should death occur during the filing season (Jan 1 - Apr 15
usually) and before fililng a prior year return, the normal deadline
for filing (usually April 15) applies to that return; the individual
responsible for filing the return may be a surviving spouse, relative,
executor, administrator, or legal representative; this is not the final
return, as the decedent was a live for several months into a new tax
year


final income tax return deadline - answer due at the same time the
decedent's return would have been due had death not occurred; a
final return for a decedent who was a calendar year taxpayer is
generally due on April 15 following the year of death, regardless of
when during that year death occurred


if decedent is married at the time of death... - answer the decedent
and surviving spouse are considered married for the whole year for
filing status purposes


- a surviving spouse who does NOT remarry before the end of the
tax year in which the decedent died may file a joint return with the
decedent; if otherwise applicable, the return can include the full
standard deduction based on filing status for the decedent
- if the surviving spouse remarries during the year, they MUST file
apart from the decedent; the decedent must file separately (MFS);
however, the surviving spouse can file a joint return with the new
spouse
- a court-appointed personal representative may revoke an election
to file a joint return that the surviving spouse previously made
alone; the representative does this by filling a separate return for

, the decedent within one year from the due date of the return
(including any extensions); the joint return made by the surviving
spouse will then be regarded as the separate return of that spouse
by excluding the decedent's items and refiguring tax liability


filing the return - answer if the court has appointed a personal
representative, that person must sign the return; if it is a joint
return, the surviving spouse must also sign it; if the court has not
appointed a personal representative, the surviving spouse (on a
joint return) signs the return and writes int he signature area "filing
as a surviving spouse"; if the court has not appointed a personal
representative AND there is no surviving spouse, the person in
charge of the decedent's property must file and sign the return as
"personal representative"; a surviving spouse filing jointly with the
decedent may submit a claim for refund by filing the return


Write the word "DECEASED," the decedent's name, and the date of
death across the top of the tax return


terrorist and military action related forgiveness - answer occurs
when an individual meets BOTH of the following criteria:
- is a member of the US Armed Forces at death
- dies from wounds or injury incurred while a member of the US
Armed Forces in a terrorist or military action


In general, forgiveness applies to:
- the tax year the death occurred, AND
- any entire tax year in the period beginning with the year before
the year in which the wounds or injury occurred (as in, if he died in
2021 for these reasons, his income tax liability is forgiven for all tax
years from 2019 through 2021)


The beneficiary or trustee of the estate of a deceased service
member doesn't have to pay tax on any amount received that would