I will never forget the time my grandmother was found unconscious in her front yard. She was gardening and passed out. She and her family spent the next two weeks in the hospital by her bedside. She passed quietly. This left the siblings in a very bad state. Not only were they mourning they also had to figure out her arrangements. When the estate was finally settled, and my mother received a lump sum I insisted that she make her burial arrangements ahead of time and that all the siblings were made aware of her wishes. When she passed away everything was taken care of for us based on her wish and with all the kids supporting each other. What a difference this made!
The Department of Consumer Affairs has a website for Cemetery and Funeral Services and has an advance planning checklist to make this process easier to start the conversation. In the event of assets: cars, home, jewelry etc. can be handled easily with a living will. For more complex estates it is best to consult an Estate Attorney. Both recommendations are considered to be not only the best but also fair and reasonable.
If a taxpayer died before filing a return for 2024, the taxpayer’s spouse or personal representative may have to file and sign a return for that taxpayer. A personal representative can be an executor, administrator, or anyone who oversees the deceased taxpayer’s property. If the deceased taxpayer didn’t have to file a return but had tax withheld, a return must be filed to get a refund. The person who files the return must enter “Deceased,” the deceased taxpayer’s name, and the date of death across the top of the return. If this information isn’t provided, it may delay the processing of the return. If your spouse died in 2024 and you didn’t remarry in 2024, or if your spouse died in 2025 before filing a return for 2024, you can file a joint return. A joint return should show your spouse’s 2024 income before death and your income for all of 2024. Enter “Filing as surviving spouse” in the area where you sign the return. If someone else is the personal representative, they must also sign. All payers of income, including financial institutions, should be promptly notified of the taxpayer’s death. This will ensure the proper reporting of income earned by the taxpayer’s estate or heirs. A deceased taxpayer’s social security number shouldn’t be used for tax years after the year of death, except for estate tax return purposes.
For more information regarding this matter please feel free to reach out for a consultation at Jamison’s Tax Consulting to help you navigate this tax journey. .