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How to Amend (Change or Correct) a Return You Already Filed

Updated: 5/15/2013
Article ID: GEN12781

What does "amend" mean, anyway?

When you amend, you're changing or correcting an electronic return that's been accepted or a paper return that's already been mailed. If you have received a notice from the IRS that you need to amend a return, don't panic. This is a straight forward process, and TurboTax will walk you through it step-by-step.

Important: When you are amending your return, make sure that you are not simply changing the return you have already filed. You will need to follow the specific process within TurboTax to file an amended return. Your amended return will be filed as a 1040X, and will need to be mailed to the IRS (Amended returns cannot be E-Filed). Make sure that you have saved your original return under a new name before you begin the amend process, as you will need to have a copy of both your original and amended return for your records.

 

New! 3 weeks after mailing your amended return, you can start tracking its progress at the newly-launched IRS Where's My Amended Return? tracking tool.

 

How do I begin the amendment process?

To begin to amend your return, click on the specific tax year you need to amend for step-by-step instructions.

Note: Amended returns cannot be e-filed. They must be printed and mailed.

 

Do I need to amend?

Here are some situations where you would need to amend a return that was accepted or mailed:

  • You received (or forgot to report) additional tax forms, such as a W-2 or 1099;
  • You received updated tax forms, such as a W-2C from your employer or corrected 1099 statements from your broker;
  • You forgot to report income or claim dependents, deductions, or credits that you were entitled to claim;
  • You claimed dependents, deductions, or credits that you weren't eligible for;
  • You made an error, such as reporting income or deductions that should have been reported for a different tax year;
  • We instructed you to amend because of a program error (this is uncommon).

In the following situations, you should not file an amended return:

  • Rejected returns cannot be amended. Instead of amending, just incorporate the necessary changes before you resubmit (or mail) your return.
  • Pending returns cannot be amended until and unless they are accepted
  • You don't need to amend if you received an IRS notice about math errors or if the IRS asks you for additional forms. Just follow the IRS instructions in the notification.

 

What is the deadline for filing an amended return?

The IRS will accept an amended return up to 3 years after the date you filed the original return or within 2 years after you paid the tax due on the return, whichever is later.

In certain tax situations, such as net operating loss (NOL) carrybacks, general business credit carrybacks, or situations involving bad debts, you may be eligible for extended amendment deadlines. For more information, see the IRS instructions for Form 1040X.

What if I need to cancel amending or start over again?

In either case, start by removing Form 1040X, the IRS amendment form. Click here if you need to remove a state amendment form.

Then, if you want to start over, repeat the TurboTax amending process and a new amendment form will be generated.

On the other hand, if you changed your mind about amending, be sure to reverse any changes you made if you're working on your original tax return file.

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