When you have a tax “oops” you fix it by filing an Amended Tax Return, form 1040X.
Mistakes happen. You file your return and later get a W2 in the mail for a job you had forgotten about. Maybe your investment firm sent you an amended 1099 because your interest income they reported was wrong. Or maybe you were talking to a friend and learned about a deduction that you should have been claiming for the past three years and you’d like a refund. What do you do?
It’s easy, you need to file an amended return, the form is called a 1040X and you can find it on the IRS website: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040x.pdf.
An amended return can’t be filed electronically like a regular return. You must mail it in and it’s going to take about 12 weeks to process. That’s a bummer if you’re expecting a refund, but that’s the way it works. If your regular return had a refund, make sure you wait until you’ve received the first refund before you file the amended return. (If they start processing the amended return before your original refund gets paid, it can mess up you getting the original refund. You don’t want that to happen now do you?)
If you have more than one tax return that needs to be amended, you must file separate returns for each year and mail them in separate envelopes. For example, say you found out that you had missed a $1000 deduction on your Schedule A every year and you’re in the 25% tax bracket. You can’t just put $3000 on this year’s return for a $750 refund. You’ll have to amend 2010, 2009, and 2008 separately and you’ll receive three checks for $250 each. It’s too late now to claim a refund that should have gone on 2007.
When you amend your tax return, you’ll have to send in the schedules of anything that changed. In the example above, the thing that changed was on the schedule A, so that form would also have to be attached. Don’t attach any forms that didn’t change. Warning: for many folks, a change in one part of your tax return can cause a change somewhere else-most notably on your schedule A. Before you actually mail anything in, go over it carefully to see if you have any unexpected changes.
When you file a 1040X, make sure you check the box for the tax year that you’re amending. That’s a pretty common mistake. The IRS can’t process the return if they don’t know what year it’s for.
When not to file an amended return: You don’t need to file an amended return for a basic math mistake. The IRS will automatically fix that for you. You also don’t need to file an amended return if your original was missing a schedule. That’s where you get a letter from the IRS saying that you claimed something on your return but that you’re missing the supporting documents. A common example of that would be a capital gain of $2000 on your return, but there’s no schedule D to back it up. You don’t need to amend the return, just mail them the schedule D. The IRS will ask you for whatever schedule they’re looking for, you won’t have to guess at what’s missing.
I’ve talked a lot about filing an amended return because of a refund. Sometimes when you file an amended return you’re going to owe. If you have a balance due, mail the payment check with your 1040X. The IRS will probably send you a bill for interest and maybe even penalties depending upon how much you owed. Be prepared for that.
Often times, people are thinking about filing amended returns because they received an IRS letter. Sometimes, you don’t need to amend, just pay the tax. Sometimes, you really need to amend because you shouldn’t have to pay the tax but you need to submit more information. Sometimes, you don’t need to amend and you don’t need to pay the tax—the IRS made a mistake and they just need to have it pointed out to them. Before you start writing that check, get a professional opinion–you want to pay your fair share, not more than you owe.
Hi Victoria,
I’m thinking that you need to file an amended return. You put the wrong number in the box that says how much money you withheld for taxes. That’s a big mistake. So, if you received the money already, you’ll have to pay back the extra. If you haven’t gotten your refund–hmmmm–they probably suspect fraud. So I’d be filing an amended return just to let them know you just made a mistake, you’re not a fraudster. I’d amend.
Do I have to file a amend if I accidentally put my wages in the box where you were suppose to input the amount of federal taxes withheld or could the irs fix the problem and if so would I receive my taxes if I don’t I was told that they have 60 days for the irs to fix it but then I was told that I need to file a admend.
Hi Martin,
Since you paid the tax imposed by the IRS based on how they adjusted the return, you need to amend the IRS version of the return for the IRS.
But for the state–since they are just getting into this–you’re amending the original state return (not based upon IRS revisions) because the state hasn’t changed your return yet–they’re just trying to get your money.
Have I confused you enough yet? Sorry.
Hi Chris G,
Your return is really messed up. First, you are married, you cannot claim your husband as a dependent. If you file as head of household, claiming your grandchildren, that could even be considered tax fraud so you don’t want to go there.
Go to a tax professional and get this straightened out properly. You’ll need to amend your returns.
Hi Deepa,
you can file online. You don’t need to state that your W2 was corrected, just use the corrected information on the return.
Hi Jose,
It sounds like you need to file amended returns for both the state and the federal.
Hi MisaMei,
Your husband accidentally filed as single?
Okay, I’d wait until his refund is received before amending. He’s amending a return that’s already been filed so he’s not late.
Hi Dulce,
Since your refund will be direct deposited, I wouldn’t worry about fixing your address.
Hi Brynn,
If you’re self employed, then often your name and address is the name and address of the small business. If you’re using a different name with the business EIN number, then of course you’d put that on your Schedule C also. But, I wouldn’t worry if your return has your name on the business form. Since your numbers are all good, I wouldn’t bother to amend.
Hi Ami,
Usually if there’s a mistake in the spelling of your name, your return is rejected and you just have to fix it and resubmit.
Hi Amanda,
you need to call the IRS, but when you’re on the phone and they ask if you’re calling about a refund do not go there. That’s just an automated response telling you to go to the website. Call and get an operator.
Instead of the regular number, try this one: (800) 829-1954. That’s the number to call for a lost check. That’s not exactly your situation, but it’s the closest I could find. Try to get a human on the phone, that’s what you really need. A human can get your refund traced.
Hi Samir,
If you’ve already received your refund from last year, and your return for this year has been accepted. I wouldn’t bother amending.
Hi Aisha,
My best guess is that since your refund is so late, and your son’s social security number was wrong, your refund is being held while they check things out. I would contact the IRS directly and follow up with them. Explain the situation and ask what they want you to do. I hate to have you amend if your return is already rejected–in which case you need to file all over again.
I’m sorry that your Block person wasn’t much help What I don’t understand is, why did she do a social security number override? She should have double checked to make sure the social was right first. That would have been the normal protocol.
Given the problems that you’ve had, I would contact the Block district office and ask for a refund.
Hi Ghezal,
You will need to fill out a W4 form. Your employer should be able to provide it to you. But here’s one if you need it: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw4.pdf
Hi Sheree,
For a $3 interest, I wouldn’t bother. It won’t make a difference on your taxes.
Hi Amber,
You’ll have to contact H&R Block for that.
Hi Celia,
In your situation, I’d call the IRS at the phone number on the letter you received. (Be prepared to be on hold forever.) Explain the situation to them, and they should mark the account that you’ve amended the return. You may still get letters saying to pay up because they are computer generated and already in a queue to go out, but your file will be noted and no collection action should occur against you.
Although for only $600, I doubt they’d start a collection action against you very soon anyway. (But if you don’t call, you know you’ll be the exception, right?)
Hi Jan! Your commentary has been wonderful to read through I’m trying to not double up on questions. I filed married separately with a tax company, they let me claim max child care credit… turns out you can’t do that with Married filing separately so the IRS sent me a bill for $600. I went back to the tax company and did married filing jointly amended return. My question is.. what should I do with the bill while I’m waiting for the 16 week amended return processing time? I know I don’t owe it but I’m really stressed out at the thought of not my paying my bills.
Thank you so much!!
Hi Amy,
I’d go ahead and call anyway. You can’t assume that the IRS will send you the money so call and make sure they know that’s what you want. If there’s paperwork that needs to be filed they should tell you.
My soon to be daughter in law and I typed her taxes, printed and mailed them. She went to “where’s my refund” and while doing that noticed that we did not fill in line 76 for how much she wanted refunded to her. Line 75 has how much she overpaid though. Using the number from line 75 in “where’s my refund” she got that they didn’t have any information and to wait 4 weeks. She thought it had been 4 weeks but she can’t remember and neither can I. Is that the kind of thing that would cause a problem or is it probably just a timing problem?
Hi Olga,
I do know for a fact the the IRS computers did go down for awhile this week, I was talking to an IRS agent about that so I do believe the agent on the phone with you was honest about that.
But, I honestly don’t know that they’ll fix your return. If I were you, I’d fix the return and efile it. You don’t need to file an amended return since there is no return with your social security number on it.
Now, of course, if your e-filed return gets rejected, then it seems to me they willl have fixed the problem (hopefully?) But if it e-files, then you’re much closer to getting your refund and the return they they are going to try to fix will get tossed out.
Hi Stanley,
You don’t need to amend your taxes, you just need to fix the mistake and send your tax return in like you never filed it in the first place. Because your return had the wrong SSN on it, it was never actually filed. (You’re not the first, won’t be the last. You’d be surprised how often that happens.) Since you don’t owe, there won’t be any fines or penalties.
i have a question i noticed that i entered the wrong ssn in my tax forms recently and i was advise to call the IRS and referred to the number 1441. after an hour on hold a IRS rep answers the phone i tell her my problem and tell her the reference number she asked me for the wrong ssn then the right one and some other personal information i did mentioned that i changed address when she asked me for an address so she requested the only i entered while filing i after putting me on hold again she said they were having internal issues and all she could do was to put a note about it and that “they”need to fix it. or that’s what i understood. she asked for my phone number and said again that they need to fix it that i will received my refund i asked how long would that take she said 30 to 45 days. i asked do i need to do something more she said no and that was it.
does that really happened? do i trust that there were internal issues and that it would be fix as soon as they can? don’t i need to fill out the 1440x form?
please advise i am worry.
I do my own returns each year and paper file. I am to get a refund this year, but it has been 7 weeks. After checking “wheres my refund” I rechecked my return copy, and found I transposed a digit of my social security number. I can reach no one at IRS by phone and am unsure how to correct my error. Will just writing a letter work?
Hi, I recently e-filed my taxes. I owe taxes this year and opted for the payment to come right out of my checking account. I just realized that the account info I provided has an error in the account number. I accidentally added four extra numbers at the end (the check number, very stupid of me, I know). I have gotten no where trying to get ahold of the IRS.
So my question for you is there some way to contact the IRS to make that simple fix? Or can I just submit another payment? Or is this something that needs a 1040x? Or should I just wait until I get contacted by the IRS?
Thanks so much,
Matt
SO I am an idiot and didn’t file my 2012 or 2013 taxes. Yes I know that’s bad but I didn’t owe. I finally realized that I should really do that. Took the time and did everything and mailed them out. Got home and realized that I have my last name where my first name should go and first where my last should go. Should I just fix this and send them back out or wait and see if its rejected. Or do you think they will catch that mistake and just fix it?
Hi Jan,
I sold some shares in 2011 and also moved house that same year. The 1099-B tax form sent out was lost in the mail (wrong address) and I never reported what was on the form.
In 2013 I received a letter from the IRS stating I had an unreported amount from my sale of shares in 2011 and I owed money in taxes and penalty which I paid.
Now my state is after the same tax however I have just realize that the IRS taxed me on the whole amount of income from the sale including my initial investment. The real profit was only $30, but I paid over $1000 in taxes for this in 2013.
Do I use:
– 1040X as an amendment to my original return
– 1040X as an amendment to my amended amount (changed by the IRS)
– or is this a completely different form as I accepted the penalty back in 2013?
Thanks for your help,
Martin
I am so worried. I let my daughter in law do my taxes and she messed them all up. She left out my SS income and instead of filing me head of household I got filed as single even though I’m married. My husband only gets SS because he is ill and last year I was able to claim him as a dependent. He is not on my refund at all this year, but my 2 dependent grandchildren are. I received an IRS asking if third parties are involved, I’m not sure what to do…please please help if you can…
My W2 form had wrong social security number on it. The employer issued a corrected W2 with the correct SS number . The corrected form had only entry of wrong and corrected SS# on it. Can I file tax online and where I add info about the correction, and do I write my correct SS when I start filling wages info if filling online.
My W2 form had wrong social security number on it. The employer issued a corrected W2 with the correct SS number . The corrected form had only entry of wrong and corrected ss# on it. Can I file tax online and where I add info about the correction
I did my taxes, sent them received them, I didn’t look at them, closley, well I should have received 2,100 more back! And like 356. On state. I really screwed up. State cashed the check, what do i do to correct this??
Hi Jan,
My husband accidentally filed as single. Ii haven’t filed my taxes yet, but we’d like to file as “married filing jointly”. We’re only about a month away from the due date for filing this year. Do I wait for him to receive his refund in 3-4 weeks, and then file amended together? Or can I file as married filing jointly now? If I file for both of us, I’m assuming that puts us on the list to get audited. But I don’t want to pass the due date deadline in April while we wait to receive his refund first. (We read on a few sites – including above – that you should wait until you get your refund before amending)
Please help!
I just noticed there an error on my 1040 tax return form. I misspelled my address. I put “aster” instead of putting “astor”. how do I fix my address on this1040 tax return form and will this delay my tax refund if im waiting for a direct bank deposit?
My tax return got accepted however I noticed that it imported my name and home address for my small business name and address. I included the EIN so will they know that its for that business or do I need to send in a correct form?
Hey,
I am a student on a F1 visa and I filed my taxes with H&R Block . However I got a message on the where’s my refund site that there was an error and when I re-checked my taxes I realized that my last name is spelt incorrectly – it is missing a letter . Do I have to file an amendment for this ? How does one correct this ? Thanks !
Hi I filed my 2012 taxes as a 1040EZ as an automatic deposit. I never got my return and never got a notice or received it by check. I was going over my copies and realized i messed up on my account number. Ive tried calling and it always tells me to go to there website. How do i go about fixing this? Thank you.
Hi,
I found error in my tax return for the last year , just the error is in my spouse name which she file jointly with me , but her SSN is right
How can I fix her name? and how long it need to fix it with IRS
Hi,
Having learned recently that my reselling on the weekends might generate a refund for me i went to H&R Block on 2/4/15 with all my documents to get help and file. The first time my return was submitted it was rejected. Thinking that it was something to do with my son’s name my preparer resubmitted with some code they have, which in turn was then accepted on 2/7/15. Looking over my 1040 noticed that 1 digit in my son’s social security number was wrong.
I went back and told her, she fixed it in her records and said not much else. I have yet to receive my refund and when I went in last week 2/26/15 she basically told me she couldn’t help me get the answers and I had to wait.
My thought was if thats the case why am I paying near $500 for services then?
Anyhow I have yet to receive my refund. irs.gov’s wheres my refund says no info can be provided please wait four weeks after I mailed my return to call, however it does list my correct name, filing status, and refund amount.
I din’t mail my return it was e-filed and now I’m thinking that has to be the reason for the delay and if I need to file an amended return.
Thank you for your help in advance.
My job did not file my W-4 last year in June 2014. I got married in May 2014. I submitted my updated W-4 form to change my status from single to married and to take on my husband as my dependent in addition to my mother (whom has been my dependent for many years). I just received my W-2 form a few weeks back from work and that is when i noticed i was still showing as “single” and with my maiden name. HR and payroll said they can not do anything to make the adjust in my w-2 for 2014. Is there some form i can complete to fix my deductions and status for 2014? Thanks so much!
Hi Bart,
For what it’s worth, I would have charged you $250. It all depends upon what is being amended. Some things I amend for free (like if I made the mistake in the first place–or I preplanned with my client an amendment)
Some things are easy to amend – like a W2.
But a 1099 creates a schedule C–you had expenses, etc. $200 is probably a normal fee.
Hi DiChera,
As long as you make good by April 15th there will be no additional interest or penalties.
You might face a penalty for not withholding enough if you have a balance due of $4000.
Question for you–the most I see you getting for an education credit is $2500–so how is it that you now owe $9000 more instead of $2500 more? You might need to go see a professional to check out your amendment before you file.
Hi Zach,
Many states have had issues with identity theft. That might be the reason they’re asking these questions. Contact your state taxing agency to solve this issue.
Hi Katie,
States are funny that way. They want their money. I’d give it to them.
Hi Stephanie,
I’m pretty sure the hold up is with the name spelling. If you haven’t received your refund by now, it’s time to call them back.
Hi Justin,
Nope, it won’t bouce back for about 2 years. File the amendment and repay what you owe.
Hi Chad,
You’ll show the $1500 in line 18–the overpayment from before. If that number is there, then you’ll pay the IRS the $1000. If the $1500 isn’t there, then once you fix it you’ll owe the IRS $2500.
Hi Sandra,
As you’ve just learned, you can’t claim your husband as an exemption when you file separately. (In some states you can, but you can’t do it on your federal. And, you can’t claim him as an exemption if he makes money so yep, you messed up.)
You have to amend your return which will take at least 16 weeks for the IRS to process. He’ll have to paper file. He may wish to attach a copy of your amended return to the back of his return to show that he should not have been claimed.
But his refund is going to be delayed. And it sounds like you’re going to owe the IRS some money. I recommend that you take this mess to a professional to straighten things out. Claiming your husband as an exemption is a really big mistake, which makes me afraid that there’s more wrong with your return. Please have it looked at.
Hi Anahi,
If you don’t file the other W2, eventually the IRS will catch it. They will send you a letter called a CP2000 which basically will say “oops, you forgot to file one of your W2s” you owe us this much more in taxes. And you send them a check. They’ll add penalty and interest to it, But you won’t have to refile.
Now, if you should get more money back, they won’t send you a letter and they won’t send you the money.
If the extra W2 is going to affect EIC and/or causes you to owe over $5000 – then they could hit you with fraud penalties which could be really stiff so you’d definitely want to amend for that.
Hi Jackie,
Even though you didn’t get the money, since the return was accepted, I would file an amended return–especially since they are calling it fraud. (You might want to contact a lawyer also.)
On the 1040X in the explanation box you might want to write “taxpayer mistakenly hit send while running a what if scenario. All numbers on original return were incorrect.”
Good luck.
Hi Lauren,
Since there’s no change to the numbers, don’t amend. Make a note in your file that you put the wrong name down. If you get a letter from the IRS about it (like in two years) you’ll have the note reminding you of what you did and can explain it. But don’t send them an amendment for something that won’t change your numbers. You’re fine.