Choosing a tax status can be harder than it looks, especially if you’re new to taxes or if you’ve had a recent life change, ...

Learn how the survivor’s penalty can raise taxes after a spouse dies and what widows and widowers can do to reduce the hit.

The ‘survivor’s penalty’ can hit retirees after a spouse dies. But the impact could be smaller than expected, experts say.

This retirement planning strategy helps spouses fortify their finances so the surviving spouse in a better spot.

Your yearly tax filing journey begins with one question: Are you Single, Married filing jointly, Married filing separately, Head of Household or a Qualifying Surviving Spouse? Your answer can cost you ...

It's of course very difficult to lose your spouse — and some survivors may also have to deal with the shock of higher taxes after their wife or husband dies. That's because after a partner's death, ...

With another tax filing season around the corner, I reached out to Senator Tammy Baldwin and asked her the following question: Why are widows and widowers penalized by the federal tax code?

For federal income tax purposes, your marital status is determined under state law as of the last day of the calendar year. That matters when choosing your filing status. Your filing status is one of ...

A surviving spouse filing single in year three after a spouse’s death faces a sudden tax cliff because single-filer brackets are roughly half the width of married-filing-jointly brackets, causing the ...

We break down the definitions and eligibility rules for the five IRS filing statuses to help you maximize your refund this tax season. Dawn Allcot is a full-time freelance writer, content marketing ...