Are you using TurboTax CD/Download or TurboTax Online?

Online

If you are preparing a brand new return, then it will ask if the person is deceased only if you chose to prepare a return for someone else. 

If you are preparing a brand new return for spouses/common-law partners, unless you chose to prepare for someone else, then it will ask on the page where you will enter the name of the second person. Then it will ask who's return you want to prepare first, since they can't be prepared together.

I am trying to do a second year return for my father who passed away in December 2022.  The death penalty for was given to us for the 2023 tax year so I have to do another return for him in 2023.  When I start to do the return on line, no where does it ask me if he is deceased and it is saying I have an error because I have reported no pension income for him

sorry I meant to say death benefit not penalty

Sorry for your loss. At the beginning of the return the software would have asked questions as seen in the images below. You may have to restart your return.

Thank you for choosing TurboTax.