You should file an amended tax return if you need to correct any piece of information that will change your tax refund or the amount you owed.
You can use an amended return to make corrections to your filing status, dependents, income, deductions, or tax credits. For example, if you need to report additional income from a W-2 that arrived after you filed your original return, you’ll need to file an amendment. Similarly, if you need to remove dependents because you were not eligible to claim them, you should file an amendment.
Be aware that you have three years to make any corrections that result in additional tax refunds.
That’s because there’s a three-year statute of limitations on issuing tax refund checks. This three-year period is measured from the date you filed your original tax return. If you filed your return before April 15th, the three-year period begins from April 15th. If you requested an extension, the three-year period runs from October 15th.
If you are beyond the three-year period, you can only receive refunds for overpaid taxes that were actually paid during the previous two years. People who need to report additional income or to correct overstated deductions can file an amended return at any time because you would not be receiving a refund but paying additional taxes. Be aware that the IRS has three-years to audit your tax return, and may have a longer period of time if there’s substantial under-reporting.
Reasons for filing an amendment include:
- Claiming additional dependents,
- Removing dependents you previously claimed,
- Reporting your proper filing status,
- Reporting additional income – from a W2, 1099, or other income statement,
- Making changes in your above-the-line deductions, standard deductionor itemized deductions,
- Claiming additional tax credits, removing tax credits mistakenly taken, or recalculating the amount of the credits; and
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Reporting additional withholding -from a W2 or 1099.