*Loan,banking and credit>>>tax return

I am late filing my tax return. My wife passed away.?

My wife passed away last year, and I want to file a joint return. How do I indicate that she is deceased? And what about her signiture on the return? She is definitely not here to sign the return.

Sounds like she did not give someone else power of attorney on these matters and the two of you were living together or she was in a hospital or nursing home. If I am wrong on any of these statements you may not be able to file a joint return.
However, it sounds like you can file a joint return. On the top of each page of the return write Deceased, her name, and date of death. And I agree that in the signature area, write "filing as surviving spouse", this is the most acceptable language recommended by The IRS. However, I have reviewed tax returns with other wording that was acceptable.
I assume you are aware that next year you will have to file as single unless you have a qualifying child dependent.

i think you should see an advisor...do it right
When you file a return for the decedent, either as the personal representative or as the surviving spouse, you should write 鈥淒ECEASED,鈥?the decedent's name, and the date of death across the top of the tax return.

If no personal representative has been appointed by the due date for filing the return, the surviving spouse (on a joint return) should sign the return and write in the signature area 鈥淔iling as surviving spouse.鈥?
www.irs.gov - Publication 554
You acquire a certified death certificate ( get three, you will also need one for insurance claims ). They are available from the county recorder's office. Include one of the death certificates and at her sigunature line PRINT "deceased".
Well, you do that by making a notation in the same area her name is listed. It normally is above the name and it states "deceased (and the date)". Sometimes, it is done at the top of the form. It depends on what software you use...if you are doing it by hand either is acceptable.

What I generally get my clients to do is sign the deceased spouses name and under that you write "signed by (and your signature". Yes you have to write small.

The reason I have my clients do this is it shows that you are the person that has the right to settle the estate. Now, you might have to prove it...but, in 20 years of doing it this way it hasn't happened to one of my clients yet. And, I have 600 clients a year.

I also have my clients attach a copy of the death certificate if they do not file electronically.

It is a rather simple thing...and the IRS does have access to find out if they are deceased or not; and they do it very quickly it doesn't even add any time to processing time of your return.
I am sorry to hear you lost your wife. Here is an IRS link degarding filing returns for decedents.