A Long Island widower discovered he was mistakenly declared dead—again—after attempting to file his taxes ahead of the April 15 deadline, according to a report.
Gene Indenbaum’s battle with the federal government resurfaced this tax season after first beginning in 2022 when his wife suddenly passed away, News 12 Long Island reported.
Bureaucratic error creates financial chaos
At the time, the Social Security Administration mistakenly marked him as deceased, triggering a cascade of financial complications. His social security benefits, health insurance, banking, and credit cards were all thrown into disarray.
The issue was resolved after the station brought attention to his ordeal in May 2024, but the fix appears to have been short-lived.
When the Smithtown resident attempted to file his taxes electronically this year, his accountant called to inform him that the IRS had no record showing he was alive.
A frustrating cycle of proving his existence
Indenbaum’s only option now is to send a letter he previously received from Social Security confirming he is still alive.
While he hopes this will permanently resolve the issue, he remains uncertain about how often he will be declared deceased on paper.
“There is no assurance at all,” Indenbaum said. “Luckily, I only have to file taxes once a year.”
Painful reminders of personal loss
Each bureaucratic mishap has reopened the emotional wounds of his wife’s passing in August 2022 after nearly 50 years of marriage.
“For the person that’s going through this, it brought up all the grief that I had,” Indenbaum said in a 2024 interview with News 12. “We all make mistakes, but it’s not whether you make a mistake; it’s how you rectify the mistake.”
