Everyone makes mistakes now and then. (Don't tell the hubby that I admitted that!)
When it comes to mistakes on tax returns, the Internal Revenue Service gives us a second chance, up to a point.
As this week's Weekly Tax Tip notes, sending in a corrected tax return via Form 1040X is not that difficult.
The IRS wants to know what you originally reported, what your
corrected numbers are and why you are making the changes.
You can add or subtract personal exemptions if on your original 1040 there was some confusion as to whether you properly claimed a dependent.
You also can change your filing status. That's not a problem in most cases.
But if it's after the tax filing deadline and you're a tax disgruntled spouse who wants to change a previously filed 1040 from married filing jointly to filing your own married but separately filed return, you're stuck with your spouse, at least with regard to that filing.
If, however, you learn that combining your tax data on one return will save you tax dollars, then you go from two married filing separately returns to one jointly filed 1040.
And if your changes involve a schedule or form you originally filed, attach that document to the amended return.
Why refile? In most cases, folks file an amended return because they discovered a mistake or tax break oversight that cost them money.
If you do file Form 1040X to claim an additional refund, wait until you have received your original refund check before sending in your amended return. The good news is that you can go ahead and cash that original refund check.
But you also should file a Form 1040X if you realize you underpaid your tax. And you should do so as soon as you discover the mistake.
Chances are the IRS will also find your error. By the time that happens, your underpayment penalty and interest charges have been running a while. So cut those off as soon as possible by filing Form 1040X as soon as possible.
One other important timing factor to note. You must file an amended return within three years from the due date of your original tax filing or within two years from the date you paid the tax, whichever is later.
And remember that your state tax bill also could be affected by a change to your federal return. So check with your state tax department on how to correct that filing.
Tracking amended returns: If you filed an amended return, particularly one that will get you more refund money, you definitely will want to know where your 1040X is in the IRS processing stream.
Good news. Although you can't file Form 1040X electronically (the IRS says it's working to make this happen, but right now you still have to send in the paper form via snail mail), you can check the status of your filed amended return online.
Just head over to the IRS' online tracking tool Where's My Amended Return?
There you can find the status of a Form 1040X
for the current year and up to three prior years.
Be patient, though.
The IRS says it takes up to 12 weeks from the date the agency receives your 1040X for it to be processed. It takes about three weeks, says the IRS, from the date
you mailed your 1040X for it to show up in the system.
After those three weeks, you can go to the online amended return tracker to make sure it's being processed.
Then after you enter your Social Security number, date of birth and Zip code, you can find out just where your amended return is in the IRS system.
You also might find these items of interest:
Roderica Iverson
I mailed in am amended at the end of february and the system still says there is no record of it i hve called and talked to a couple of people still couldnt tell me anything
Bettie Barber
what if a tax return has went back to the irs because of a wrong address , Do you have to amend your return or how do I have it sent to the right address
Darlene
Did any of you ever get your amended refund checks?
We got the same message. They received on November 5th 1013 but now it says no record of receiving?
Dave
I have been waiting 20 weeks for my amended return to be processed because of a simple 1099-DIV statement that I forgot to include. I hate to say this, but I think the wait will be indefinite if there is a government shutdown.
Tiffany
We sent our amended return in on April 29th. We called them July 22nd (12 weeks later) and come to find out, they didn’t even receive anything or they said it could have got sent somewhere else. Well we had to resend everything and said it would be another 60 days. It has now been 66 days! They also took our 2013 taxes to pay off what we owed them before the amended return and after the amended return they would refund us the remaining. Well after paying the almost $6,000 with our 2013 tax money, they started garnishing my check for their remaining balance of $1,200.After being amended we should have owed them $3,000 instead of $7,200 and with our 2013 we got back almost $6,000, I mean give or take the numbers but they owe us about $2,000- $2,500. Yet they owe us money, and they are trying to garnish my check when they were the ones who messed up my return. It would have been done by now if they had a better system on not losing things. They surely want to get their money you owe them really fast, but if they owe you, they take their sweet time. It’s ridiculous! All together, I have been waiting for 23 weeks.
Erica
Same has happened to me! Amended tax return on April 6, 2013. Waited for 8-12 weeks and got a Check date of August 16,2013. Still NO check. Called back, someone made a mistake and the check date was Sept 6, 2013. As of today, still NO check!!!! Ugh, it’s so frustrating!!!!
Starla Lee
Yup. Same problem here. we have been waiting 17 weeks and they have told us a different answer every single time we call. How can the IRS go from giving us a date when we will receive our check to saying we have sent a referral to the person working on your taxes and you now have to wait another 30 days? It would just be really nice to talk to a representative who was nice also, we seem to attract the rudest ones. We’re just keeping our fingers crossed hoping that we might here something soon, my husband is supposed to be going on a job soon and we could really use the refund.:(
lisa saenz
we sent resubmitted 3 amened returns and still nothing beging april 12,2013 and nothing but a mess !
l posos
well i have waited going on 4 months, told on line my records werent received but yet on phone call to irs, return was processed .On april 17,2013 with no problem,at that i was told to call on aug.15 if i had not gotten return. I called and was left on phone for 1hour with no answer i hang up.when i last spoke to phone person on other end,they said or better yet blamed the sequester.I am fed up with there half ass stories and mistakes waiting this long when ones unemployed has its bad effects, fu** IRS but if you owe them there all over you.
Ila
Hopefully “No Record” means it is in the mail and their processors are no involved with it…Yipee hope to God they are in the mail..:)
peggy
check amended return site had posted my return was received 4/21/13 but had not been processsed yet, gave me a number to call along with an extension i spoke with a rep she was very helpful said she would assign the return to herself. that was about a week ago i spoke with another rep she stated from what she could see it was almost complete that was 7-19-13 to call back on 7-22-13
Wanda Riley
I think we’re all in the same boat. I had to contact my senator to get results, though nothing has changed other then where’s my amended refund shows that the information I sent was mysteriously found!! It showed prior to my contacting the senator that my info. didn’t exist. (Weird) It has now been 3 months and my info. still hasn’t been processed, it only shows received. This is what happens to good tax payers!!
peggy
I was told my amended return was received April 21st 2013, it is now 7/13/13 and it says it’s being processed. I spoke with a rep from IRS a couple days ago he said it was assigned to an agent for processing June 20 2013. he stated once it is okayed by them it still takes IRS 3 weeks to cut the check
KAY
WE ARE ALL IN SAME BOAT I SENT IT BACK IN JANUARY 5TH 2013 CHECK ON MARCH THEY SAID IT WAS REC.ON FEB.1 CHECK A WEEK LATER NO RECORD FOUND HUH? WAITED A FEW DAYS CHECKED AGAIN THERE IT WAS ITS BEEN PROCESS. GOT LETTER IN MAY SAYING THEY NEEDED MORE INFO OK I MAILED INFO THEY NEEDED CALLED BACK JULY 1ST TO GET GREAT NEWS SINCE THEY REQUESTED MORE INFO THE 8-12 WEEK WAIT STARTS ALL OVER AGAIN DIDNT LIKE THAT ANSWER SO HUNG UP AND CALLED AGAIN NOW THIS TIME USING THE EXTENSION & # ON THE WHERE IS MY REFUND TRACKER OK AFTER BEEN ON HOLD FOR 1 HOUR AND 13 MIN LADY ON PHONE TOLD ME TO CALL BACK TODAY JULY 1O TO GET REFUND DATE OK CALL TODAY AND GUY ON PHONE TELLS ME THEY MAILED OUT A LETTER ON THE 8TH AND TO BE PATIENT WHAT WHY A LETTER ITS SUPPOSE TO BE MY MONEY $5,000 DOLLARS ARE NOT EASY TO JUST FORGET ABOUT NOW THE WAIT GAME STARTS AGAIN LETS SEE WHAT LETTER SAYS ILL UPDATE ONCE I GET LETTER.
Dale
Per automated service (866) 464-2050 my amended tax return for 2012 was received on April 14th, 2013. And says it is being processed. The first time I got this message was June 3rd. I called every day and it said it is being processed and that it takes 8 to 12 weeks from date received! On June 23, 2013 I called and it said “No record of receiving”. What the ….. Two days later I called and it said they rcvd. on April 14th, and is being processed. I called this morning July 9th, and it gave me a phone # to call and an extension. My husband called the same day and held for 51 minutes before reaching a human. The IRS worker said they received it on April 14th, but have no record of it. (I’m confused). She told me to resend everything and it will take 8 to 12 weeks. This is ridiculous!!!
Latoria
I am having the same problem have been checking for weeks and said it was received on May 15th. I called the number and checked the website now it is saying that no record exists. What is the problem?
Tricia
Well at least I’m in good company. I sent in my amended return and the IRS system said it was received in May and processing. Then it said that they needed more info and that a letter had been sent. It took 3 weeks to receive the paperwork it the mail. I filled it out and sent it back the same day I received it. Now the website sis saying they have no record of a amended return. WTF? So does this mean I won’t be getting my refund for the amended return? Do I send in the paperwork again and start the process all over?
I wish the people who posted this problem months ago would hop back on and give up an update. I’d like to know how their situations turned out.
Colleen
My amended return was received as of April 26. I am still waiting, I spoke with an IRS agent Tuesday and was told someone is working on it and it will likely be another few weeks. I hope it doesn’t take the full 12. Usually I would have had it by now. I have been amending mine every year for the last 4 years because of my education credits. I am hearing that the Where’s My Amended Refund site isn’t being updated and people are getting their checks while the site says it is still being processed. I think the site was created to stop us from calling them…whatever I called them anyways but they really try to get you to use the site instead of transferring the call.
Shin Yokoyama
Ive been messing with this for 5 months. My stupid tax lady put down my lotto winnings as 2013 instead off 2012. I took a year off work. and waited to long to start looking for work. So i need my return to get a job and relocate. Im so broke i dont know what to do. I called the tax advocates and 2 weeks ago the advocates called me and told me its been accepted and i would have to wait 2 weeks. Now they said i have to wait another 1 to 2 weeks. So i checked where is my amended return before it said its been received Now it says they never received it. Its my fault that i didnt look for work sooner and counted on my return. but for a stupid date mess up by my tax lady. I have no food im ready to get evicted. sold everything i have worth anything for nothing just to survive. And now this. I never collected no welfare nothing in my life. But i got hard up so i applied for food stamps and got denied.
rebecca
I see a trend. mine has done the same thing. I hope this is an error!
angie pruden
me too just went poof, spent an hour on the phone with a rep who told me to just resubmit it.. WHAT?!!? I’ve already waited 16 weeks!!
Jon Bruce
I am having the same issue. Mine was received March 19th and was showing that it was processing upto May 29th. Nows is says no record found. Whats the deal?
michelle
mine was received april 28 and shows not record exists
Kay
have y’all tried tracking via the main Where’s my return? Maybe since it’s been received, the data transferred there. Crazy, but … Also, I’d call the 800 829 1040 line.
John
Same issue with me. Showed received originally on march 14, but as of today, shows that no record exists. Odd!
tabitha downing
I filed an ammended return the irs site said that it was received on 4/19/13 and was processing. Now their site is saying that no record of an amended return can be found. Why would that be?