Bob was married to Sandy, and they have a 12-year-old son. Sandy passed away last year. Bob needs to complete his federal income taxes for the year. What filing status could he use for 2 years after the death of his spouse

Qualifying widower with a dependent child

Explanation:

By filing as a widower with dependent child (the child is a necessary qualification requirement), Bob can use the same tax bracket and retain the same benefits as filing as married. This means that his income will be taxed at a lower rate than if he had filed as single, and he will obtain the same deduction as a married couple (twice the deduction for a single filer).