How do I file taxes for my mother who passed away last year?

[wbmatthews]

Hi I've tried searching for this but the help doesn't answer this question and the responses on Community all seem to lead to broken links or tell me I don't have permission.

I'm looking to file taxes again on behalf of my mother as I've done for the last few years. However, I don't see any way to indicate that she has passed away. Could someone please direct me to instructions for how I can go about filing this years tax information?

[TurboTax_Susan]

We're sorry to hear of your loss.

If you are using TurboTax Online/Do It Yourself and starting a brand new return (no transfer from last year), you'll be asked "Who are you preparing this return for?". Choose "Someone Else". Then when you get to the "Let’s get started! What’s their name?", there is a checkbox for "This return is for a deceased person" under the last name field.

Please note: The CRA requires all final returns to be paper filed. You'll need to print out and mail their return directly instead of using NETFILE. Also note that form T1255 Designation of a Property as a Principal Residence by the Legal Representative of a Deceased Individual is not available in TurboTax Online/Do It Yourself. It is available in TurboTax Desktop (for Windows).

[wbmatthews]

Oh I see. So I should begin a fresh return rather than do another carry-over from the previous year as usual?

[TurboTax_Susan · Accepted solution]

Yes, you'll need to make a fresh return.

[user17768736045]

what if I have always filled my parents taxes together? when I attempt to do their taxes and indicate my mother passed in 2025, I am given the option to prepare and transfer but Im not sure if I can proceed with that (and if so, does it matter who I prepare and transfer?) or do I have to prepare them separately because she passed away?

[wbmatthews]

From what I’ve discovered, it almost certainly going to need to be separate. The “final return” can’t be NETFILE’d, it needs to be mailed in with a death certificate and such. So starting a fresh return is the way to go to make sure all the correct info is in there so that you can print out a hard copy to mail at the end of the process.

hope that helps!

[user17768736045]

You bet and thank you.