If you made a mistake on your tax return, it’s not the end of the world. The IRS allows you to file an amended tax return to correct any mistakes that weren’t caught. In some cases, amending a tax return may be a requirement.
You can amend your tax return to save money by correcting information that affects your taxable income. Amending your tax return can also be a pre-emptive step to help avoid an audit.
What is an amended tax return, and when do you need to file one? Find out everything you need to know to file with confidence.
What is an amended tax return?
Amending a tax return allows you to correct any mistakes or omissions on a previously filed tax return. If you recently filed a tax return and you believe you made a mistake, you can amend tax returns by filing Form 1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return.
You don’t always need to file an amended tax return to correct mistakes on your taxes. In some cases, the IRS will contact you to let you know an error on your tax return was discovered and corrected.
Why might someone amend their tax return?
If you think you made a mistake on your tax return, you can file an amended tax return to correct that mistake. Some common adjustments include:
- Filing status: Whether you’re married filing jointly or separately, your filing status affects your tax bracket. Filing status mistakes are a common reason for amending a tax return.
- Income: Your income directly correlates to the refund you receive or the amount of taxes you owe. Incorrect income information would need to be corrected on an amended tax return.
- Deductions and credits: If you claimed a credit or deduction you’re not eligible for, the IRS will let you know so you can amend your tax return.
- Dependents: If you claim dependents on your tax return who can’t be claimed as dependents, you need to amend your tax return.
When there’s an error on your tax return, the IRS may contact you to let you know the information you submitted doesn’t match what they have on file. If you receive this notification, you will need to review your information, and if you agree with the error, you may need to file an amended return.
When don’t you need to file an amended return?
In some cases, the IRS will contact you to let you know an error on your tax return has been corrected. Math errors are usually corrected by the IRS, so you don’t need to file an amended return if you miscalculate something.
You can also skip filing an amended tax return if you forgot to attach your W-2 to your tax return. The IRS will reach out to you to request any additional forms you forgot to submit.
If you file taxes with an expired ITIN, the IRS will process your return and send you a notice to renew your ITIN. You can find your ITIN assignment date on Notice CP565.
If you believe your employer isn’t withholding the correct amount because you have a large tax bill when you file your income tax return, you can use a W-4 withholding calculator to fill out a new W-4 and give it to your employer. You don’t need to submit Form 1040-X in this case.
How long do you have to amend your tax return?
After you file your tax return, you have 3 years from the original filing date or 2 years from the date you paid your taxes, whichever is later, to file an amended return. If you file your taxes before the deadline, you can use the April deadline as the original filing date.
Some people have more time to amend a tax return. Here are some circumstances that may give you more time to file a return:
- A federally declared disaster
- Service in a combat zone or contingency operation
- A bad debt or worthless security
- A foreign tax credit or deduction
- A loss or credit carryback
If you’re not sure whether you need to file an amended tax return, you can use the IRS Interactive Tax Assistant to see if you need to amend your taxes. You can also consult a tax expert if you have questions about your filing status or which deductions you qualify for.
How do you amend a tax return?
To amend your tax return, file Form 1040-X. When you file Form 1040-X, make sure you include the same forms you attached to your original Form 1040.
There are several key sections of Form 1040-X:
- Personal information: Include your personal information in this first section, including your name, social security number, and address.
- Amended return filing status: Even if you’re not changing your filing status, check a box to indicate your filing status.
- Income and deductions: Enter your income and deductions, including the original amount, the correct amount, and the net change.
- Tax liability: If your amended return affects what you owe, enter those changes here.
- Payments: In this section, include any tax payments you made for the tax return you’re amending.
- Refund: After you calculate your refund, you can decide how much you want to be refunded to you and how much you want to be applied to the taxes you owe.
- Dependents: If you’re changing information about your dependents, use this section to make those changes.
- Explanation: In this section, explain why you’re filing Form 1040-X and attach any supporting documents before filing your return.
You also need to file Form 8879, IRS e-file Signature Authorization, with your Form 1040-X. You’ll need to file Form 8879 each time you electronically submit an amended tax return.
When filing your amended tax return, take a moment to review your return to make sure there are no mistakes. You can file another amended tax return if you make a mistake, but you can only file up to 3 amended returns for a given tax year. This would happen if you made a mistake on your amended tax return and need to submit another amended return.
How long does it take for a return to be amended?
When you file an amended tax return, it takes a while for the IRS to review your amended return and apply those changes.
The typical processing time for both paper and electronic amended tax returns can take up to 20 weeks. When the IRS is experiencing processing delays, it may take even longer for your tax return to be amended.
You can check the status of your amended return after three weeks.
If you’re thinking about contacting the IRS to speed up the processing time, you don’t need to. Phone and walk-in representatives can’t update you on the status of your return until you’ve waited at least 20 weeks.
Mistakes can delay the processing of your amended return, so make sure your information is correct before filing. If you’re claiming self-employed tax deductions, for example, you might want to work with a tax expert to amend your return.
Tracking the status of your amended return
If you want to check on the status of an amended tax return you recently filed, you can use the IRS Where’s My Amended Return? online tool. You’ll need your social security number, date of birth, and zip code to check your amended return status.
The service is available 24 hours a day with some exceptions:
- Mondays from 12 – 3 am ET
- Some Sundays from 1 – 7 am ET
While this service works for some types of tax returns, the following returns are excluded:
- Business tax returns
- Tax returns with a foreign address
- Carryback applications and claims
- Injured spouse claims
- Form 1040 marked as amended or corrected instead of Form 1040-X
- Returns processed by Bankruptcy or Examination units
You can also check the status of your amended return by calling 1-866-464-2050. Keep in mind that phone and walk-in representatives can’t check the status of your amended return until at least 20 weeks after the original filing date.
If you need to amend your tax return, TurboTax is here to help. Whether you need to file an amended return for the current tax year or a prior year, just follow the prompts to amend your return.
No matter what moves you made last year, TurboTax will make them count on your taxes. Whether you want to do your taxes yourself or have a TurboTax expert file for you, we’ll make sure you get every dollar you deserve and your biggest possible refund – guaranteed.
