Widow's Exemption

You're grieving your recently dead spouse. Plus, it's tax time. A lot to process at once.

Luckily, the government has a little gift for you: the accountant's equivalent of a neighbor showing up at your house with a tuna casserole. It's called the widow's exemption.

This tax benefit represents a deduction available to someone whose spouse has recently died (don't worry...despite the name "widow's exemption," it's available to all genders). The specifics of the exemption differ depending on what state you're filing in. Usually, it involves a property tax break.