Jessie Casson | Digitalvision | Getty ImagesIt's hard to lose a spouse, and a costly surprise makes it even more difficult, especially for older women — higher taxes. watch nowTypically, the surviving spouse inherits the deceased spouse's individual retirement accounts, and so-called required minimum distributions are about the same. But the surviving spouse now faces higher tax brackets, Gagliardi said. Spouses may consider partial Roth IRA conversions, which transfers part of pretax or nondeductible IRA funds to a Roth IRA for future tax-free growth, Jastrem said. Check investment accountsIt's always important to keep account ownership and beneficiaries updated, and failing to plan could be costly for the surviving spouse, Jastrem said.

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Persons: Jessie Casson, Digitalvision, Edward Jastrem, —, Donald Trump's, George Gagliardi, Gagliardi, Roth, Jastrem Organizations: Getty, Centers for Disease Control, Heritage Financial Services, CNBC, Coromandel Wealth Management, Wealth Locations: Westwood , Massachusetts, Lexington , Massachusetts