Widow’s income tax penalty

The widower’s income tax is definitely the healthiest tax of them all, especially because people aren’t fully aware of it. Another reason might be that it’s a bit difficult to plan for it, and it might potentially increase tax liability year after year once it applies.

However, the income tax law doesn’t show kindness to surviving spouses who don’t want to remarry. A widow or widower who might have the same or less income could become the subject of a higher federal income tax liability.

This could result from the transition from married individuals filing at joint tax rates to single tax rates, plus a standard deduction of 50% of $25,100 (which is the amount filed by married individuals), which will start in the year that follows the year of the spouse’s death.