CLIENT BACKGROUND: 2023 Married Filing Joint; 2024 husband died 4/24, house sold 12/18/24, wife died 12/20/24.

When completing the form home sales worksheet, question 16: 

16  Check if you are a widower who has not remarried and this home sale was within 2 years of your spouses death and the spouse qualified for the exclusion immediately before their death. ( I checked this box)

There is an error for checking this box.  The notation says "Widower should not be checked when the filing status is married filing joint"

I think this error is wrong unless spouse 2 isn't a widower which I think she is!  You do file married filing joint if both spouses died in the same year.

IRS: Married filing jointly if you’re married or if your spouse passed away during the year.