How to File a Single Tax Return for a Spouse's Death

When a spouse dies, you can still file a married filing joint tax return for that year of death. But after that, you need to start filing a single. So long as you don't remarry, you can use the time that your late spouse owned and lived in the house as your own. If you have a dependent child at home, you can be head of household or whittower - but let's assume there's no kids in the picture.