When should you file an amended tax return? The first thing you should know is that not all errors require an amended tax return. For example, a Form W-2 arrives in the mail after the tax deadline, or you forgot to file it. You should also amend your return to claim all of the allowable tax deductions or tax credits that you did not claim when you filed your original return. In previous years there were a number of deductions that international students could use to reduce their overall tax liability.
However, in November , President Donald Trump introduced a GOP tax reform bill which brought widespread tax-related changes for most taxpayers. For example, if you filed as single but actually got married on the last day of the tax year, you will need to amend your return by filing your taxes under the appropriate status — married filing jointly or married filing separately note: nonresidents can file only as married filing separately.
An amended return will be needed if a taxpayer wants to claim additional dependents, or has claimed ineligible dependents and needs to adjust the exemptions amount. The general IRS rule states that a nonresident alien, whether single or married, may claim only one personal exemption, as long as they are not claimed as a dependent on any other US tax return in which case their personal exemption was already used. There are some exceptions to the general rule which allow specific groups of taxpayers to claim dependent exemptions for their family members:.
You can check out if you qualify to claim an additional exemption for your dependent here. Nonresidents who file their tax returns with form which is for U. This means their tax return will be inaccurate and they could get into trouble with the IRS later on. This is another case when you will need to amend your tax return.
Nonresident aliens are not eligible to receive this stimulus. If you believe that you have received this payment in error , it is likely that you should file an amended tax return and also return the payment to the IRS the payment should be sent separately to your amended return. You should also send a cover note with your amended tax return to outline why you are returning the payment. If you realize that you need to make one or more of the corrections listed above use Form X Amended U.
Individual Income Tax Return to amend the federal income tax return that you previously filed. Need a hand filing your amended tax return? Start here. The IRS usually corrects math errors when processing your original return without the need for you to file further paperwork.
When you receive a notice about errors, there will usually be other ways to correct errors besides an amended tax return. Usually, these misunderstandings can be quickly rectified by providing the correct information to the IRS. The notice that you receive will explain clearly what the issue is and how to respond.
That will confuse things further and may cause additional headaches for you. If you want to amend your federal tax return, you will need to file a Form X , Amended US Individual Income Tax Return , even if you filed your original return only a few days ago.
Your state will use a unique form to amend your tax return Schedule X for California, for example which you will need to attach to your federal state return.
You do not need to file a X if your original return contains math errors or is simply missing forms, such as a W The IRS will usually correct and notify you about math errors and will notify you if it's missing any forms. If the correction results in you owing money, file as soon as possible so you can minimize any penalties or interest that might be incurred.
Although the IRS appreciates when taxpayers file an amended return to correct a mistake, they can still assess a penalty or charge interest for not paying the proper amount when the taxes were originally due.
If the correction results in a tax refund and you haven't received it yet, wait to file the amended return until after you've received it to avoid complications. But keep in mind that there is a time limit for filing an amended return resulting in a refund. You must file it within three years after you filed the original return, or within two years after you paid any tax due from that return—whichever is later.
Note: Beginning in you can file a X electronically but only for tax year and later. For earlier tax years an amended returns has to be filed on paper. This explanation should describe the specific corrections you're making and can be very brief. Reasons might include:. If you owe money as a result of the correction, you should include a check or money order with your X submission.
Each tax return you are amending requires its own Form X mailed in a separate envelope. Mail the completed form to the appropriate address listed in the Form X instructions. It takes about 16 weeks for the IRS to process an amended return. You can check its status on the IRS website after three weeks, or by calling the automated toll-free number After submitting Form X, check to see if your state tax form also needs to be amended. If so, obtain the proper form from your state's tax agency and use the information on the federal X to help you fill it out.
Be sure to attach a copy of your X to your state amended return. Compensation may factor into how and where products appear on our platform and in what order. But since we generally make money when you find an offer you like and get, we try to show you offers we think are a good match for you. That's why we provide features like your Approval Odds and savings estimates. Of course, the offers on our platform don't represent all financial products out there, but our goal is to show you as many great options as we can.
It has been updated for the and tax years. Maybe an important tax document arrived in the mail days after you e-filed your return. You can likely file an amended tax return to correct the error. The form allows you to correct errors on these IRS Forms. Since the purpose of the X is to correct a previously filed , a lot of the information requested on the two federal forms is the same.
You must file a different X for each year you want to amend. You can find mailing addresses for amended returns in the instructions for the X. The IRS also began accepting electronically filed X forms in summer Electronic filing will allow faster receipt and fewer errors on amended returns, the IRS says.
For now, amendments to forms and SR can be filed electronically only for the tax year.
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