It may be necessary for a woman to adhere to the social customs of her area because her fiscal stature depends on it, but this custom is also often abused by others to keep money in the family of the deceased spouse. [26] It is also unusual for widows to challenge their treatment because they are often “ignorant of their rights under modern law. because of their inferior status and lack of legal training or representation.” [27] The unequal benefits and treatment received by widows in general compared to widowers around the world has sparked the interest of human rights activists in this issue. [27] During the HIV pandemic, which mainly affected gay communities, the companions of deceased men had little recourse against the deceased family in probate court. Since he could not yet be legally married, the term widower was not considered socially acceptable. This situation was usually blessed with additional stigma attached to the surviving man. While it is debatable whether gender plays a role in grief intensity, gender often affects how a person`s lifestyle changes after a spouse dies. Research has shown that the difference lies in the burden of care, expectations and response after the death of the spouse. For example, women often carry a heavier emotional burden than men and are less willing to endure the death of another spouse.
[15] After widowhood, men and women may react very differently and often change their lifestyle. Women tend to miss their husbands more when they die suddenly; Men tend to miss their wives more when they have died after a long and incurable illness. [16] In addition, it has been observed that both men and women undergo lifestyle changes after the death of a spouse. Both sexes tend to have more difficulty caring for themselves without their spouse, although these changes may be different depending on the sex of the widow and the role the spouse played in her life. [16] The Hindu Widows Remarriage Act of 1856, in response to the campaign of the reformer Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar,[33] enacted the remarriage of widows and offered legal safeguards against the loss of certain forms of inheritance for the remarriage of a Hindu widow,[34] although the widow renounced under the law any inheritance due to her deceased husband. [35] Since 1991, by adding a question dealing exclusively with the status of common-law unions, it has been possible to separate the concept of common-law union from that of legal marital status and to provide precise data on both concepts. Since 2004, women in the United States who were widowed at a younger age have been at greater risk of economic hardship. Married women living in financially unstable households are more likely to become widows “because of the strong relationship between mortality [of the head of the man] and [household] wealth.” [26] In underdeveloped and developing parts of the world, the living conditions of widows remain much stricter. The UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (ratified by 135 countries) is running slowly, but is working on proposals that will outlaw certain forms of discrimination and treatment of widows (such as violence and denial of property rights) in countries that have acceded to CEDAW. [28] In some parts of the world, such as Zimbabwe, widows` assets, such as land, are often taken away from their in-laws. Although illegal, since most marriages are common law and unregistered, it is difficult to deal with the problem of property theft.
[38] Never legally married; Be legally married (not separated); Separated, but still legally married; Divorced; Widower All persons under the age of 15 are considered single (never legally married). The term eligible widow or widower refers to a tax return status that allows a surviving spouse to split married tax rates for an individual tax return. This provision applies up to two years after the death of the spouse. The taxpayer must remain single for at least two years after the death of his spouse to obtain this status. The declaration as a widow or eligible widower allows the taxpayer to receive the highest standard deduction for their taxes, unless they list the deductions. The term widowhood can be used for both sexes, at least according to some dictionaries,[4][5] but the word widowhood is also listed in some dictionaries. [6] [7] Sometimes the word emptiness is used. [8] The adjective for both sexes is widowed. [9] [10] These conditions do not apply to divorce following the death of a former spouse. [11] Sati was a practice in South Asia where a woman burned herself after the death of her husband.
These practices were banned in British India in 1827 and in independent India in 1987 by the Sati Prevention Act, which made it illegal to support, fame or attempt to commit Sati. Supporting Sati, including coercing or forcing someone to commit Sati, can be punished with the death penalty or life in prison, while glorifying Sati can be punished by one to seven years in prison. The condition of having lost one`s spouse by death is called widowhood. [1] An archaic term for a widow is “relic”[2], literally “someone on the left.” This word can sometimes be found on older tombstones. The word “widow” comes from an Indo-European root meaning “widow” and is related in Indo-European languages. The masculine form “widower” is first attested in the 14th century, when “widower” was replaced by a reference to men in the 19th century. [3] In 2011, the “Never legally married” category of the questionnaire was changed (previously “Never legally married (single)”), but the concept has not changed. Since 2006, the “married” category includes legally married same-sex spouses.
A widow is a woman whose spouse has died; A widower is a man whose wife has died. Having a dependent child is an important part of the deposit as a widow or eligible widower. In fact, it is actually a very important part of the tax return status. There is often an addendum to the title that states this, especially the qualified widow with dependent child. The Bible has written several commandments about caring for the widow, the prohibition of harm, and the duty to make her happy during feasts, such as: “Rejoice in your feast—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites, strangers, orphans, and widows who live in your cities.” (Hebrew Bible, Book of Deuteronomy 16:14) [24] Widowhood inheritance (also known as bride inheritance) is a cultural and social practice in which a widow must marry a male relative of her deceased husband, often her brother. Internal Revenue Service. “The IRS is proposing inflation-based tax adjustments for the 2022 tax year.” Retrieved 21 December 2021. The phenomenon, which refers to the increase in the mortality rate after the death of a spouse, is called the widow effect.
[12] It is “strongest in the first three months after the death of a spouse, when he or she had a 66% increased probability of dying.” [13] Whether women or men are worse off remains controversial, and some studies have attempted to substantiate each case, while others suggest that there are no gender differences. [14] Qualifying Widow(er) is one of the five official filing statuses of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It provides financial relief to those who lose their spouses and may have difficulty paying death expenses or other routine household bills. The use of eligible widower status allows the surviving spouse to collect taxes as if he or she were still married even if his or her partner is deceased. The use of widows in the harem was recorded in ancient Egypt, medieval Europe and Islamic empires. [29] [30] As an eligible widow, you can file an income tax return for the year your spouse dies and two years after your spouse`s death. Depending on when the spouse died during the year, this period could technically be three calendar years. After that, you need to decide on the status of a single tax filer or head of household. The Fijian people practiced the strangulation of widows. When Fijians embraced Christianity, the strangulation of widows was abandoned. [31] Those who are likely to be accused and killed as sorcerers, as in Papua New Guinea, are often widows.
[32] Lea Uradu, J.D. is a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Law, Maryland State Chartered Tax Specialist, Certified Notary, VITA Board Certified Accountant, IRS Annual Filing Season Program Participant, Tax Author, and Founder of L.A.W. Tax Resolution Services. Lea has worked with hundreds of tax clients for individuals and expatriates. Social stigma in Joseon Korea required widows to remain single after the death of their husbands. In 1477, Seongjong of Joseon enacted the Widows` Remarriage Act, which reinforced pre-existing social constraints by excluding the sons of remarried widows from public service. In 1489, Seongjong condemned a woman of the royal clan, Yi Guji, when it was discovered that she had lived with her slave after becoming a widow.[36] More than 40 members of her family were arrested and her lover tortured to death. [37] As mentioned above, you get all the benefits of marriage and joint registration if you use qualifying widowhood – specifically deductions and income tax brackets.
The standard deduction of $25,100 for 2021 ($25,900 for 2022) and tax brackets are the same for eligible widows and spouses who file together. Both are cheaper than those of the head of household and, of course, the individual registration status.
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