Janie, I had a hard time with the taxes, too. Cliff had left our taxes a mess, and I had a hard time going through all our papers and searching for his stuff. In between business documents, I would find fragments of poems he wrote, drawings he'd done, mixed in with legal stuff or financial stuff. It was a nightmare! I spent days and days at it, submitted it all, and it turned out I had missed a bunch of stuff. Luckily, the mistakes were in my favor, but the next year I paid someone else to do my taxes. Best money I ever spent on a professional.

Sometimes it's like DIY. Sometimes it makes sense to fix something yourself, and other times it's a better idea to have a professional do it. Maybe this year you need a hand with it. Just a thought...

I think the worst was having to write "DECEASED" in big letters across the top. Just too much in my face I guess.

I am sorry you're having a rough time. I did, too.

Love and Big Hugs,
Martha

I had a accountant do it. Best money I ever spent..

I had an accountant do it. One less thing for me to worry about so money well spent.

All,

I paid a CPA to sort the mess out. Hours she worked, taxes she paid, joint pensions my SS just made for a big as* mess to figure out. Best $170 I ever spent to make sure it was done correctly. Nest year will be much more simple with just me drawing.

Happy St Pats day to all. Dewman currently in Montana.

My husband also used to do our taxes online but I decided to use an accountant this year. I wanted to make sure his were all tied up properly and it meant I didn't have to enter all the details. The lady I went to was very nice and compassionate. I did cry when I left much to my surprise. Another first and an end of an era I guess. Worse was filling out a w-4 for this year and having to check the "single" box. Just another one of the things we go through. Don't be too hard on yourself. Hugs, Liz

I have an accountant for taxes and lawyer for probate and estate stuff and consider both money well spent. I doubt I would work up the energy otherwise. There's enough other stuff to get me emotional. I don't need any more.

Perfect day for me to read this thread - I just had my taxes done yesterday. This was the first time without my husband and over the past few years the same person has prepared them for us. I loved that my husband would get all the paperwork together and just ask me when I could go. I cried when she asked what happened to Todd but then I was ok. It was a bit of a shock to see the one printout with the all caps "DECEASED" but got through it. I was relieved that all turned out ok and she gave me some good advice for this current tax year.

I'm going tuesday to get our taxes done. Our son is going with me. Glad to have read the posts on here, kind of prepared me for the DECEASED part.

Ray always got our stuff ready, when I was looking for the papers he actually had a lot of it done or started, he was so good and prepeared.

Sending you a hug...I remember that day..not even just that part but missing my man wanting to see the bottom line...no matter where he was he would appear the minute turbo tax showed the refund....Im the one that handled all OUR stuff....I still get upset when I am given a choice of single or married..but things are getting better. I guess I can laugh at this story now but this happened after a year and half of this journey....I had sold our other house ..I didn't go to the close my lawyer did it for me...so I go to her office pick up the check..Im feeling happy...the house was bought by a young couple....the check is nice....as I give it to the teller she asks me if I sold a house...as I go to say yes..I burst out crying...so then she says...is someone making you do this..I say yes..sobbing ..next thing I know the bank manager is there... a security guard too...they want to know who...I say "my guardian angel"....man that was a crazy day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kimkos, oh, that would be scary, but they had your best interest at heart.

Thank you to all who responded. I'm going to take your advice and let someone else do the taxes this year.

We always had an accountant do the taxes, but she retired so we used the guy that took over her business last year and we didn't know him at all. This year I am alone so it was just easier to have him do them, but took me over a week to get the papers together and threw me into a tailspin as I found receipts for things we bought together, places we went together and projects we were working on when he died. It was awful and I found I was crying non stop for days. Horrible experience an then I owe money too. Life is so unfair.

Oh my gosh... the taxes. I agree that you should pay someone. I had such a hard time last year and I still had to pay for my husband taxes even thou he was already dead! He worked on a 1099 and I had to take care of that. Having someone doing it for you is the best you can do.

I went through the taxes the year before to see what I needed to bring. My husband always took care gathering the information. I would give him my part We were both retired with pensions. Last year was the first time I file alone (passed July 2013) I would stare at the empty chair beside me and tears would come. I actually did better the first year than this year. I forgot to bring the mortgage interest statement and had filed it away with my paid bills. I am feeling more comfortable. I am glad that AARP does senior taxes for free.