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First-Time Homebuyer Credit: How to Amend 2008 Return for 2009 Purchase

If you bought - or plan to buy - a home in 2009 and want to claim the first-time homebuyer credit you might also want to amend your 2008 return.

There are two common reasons to do this:

  • You've already filed your 2008 return, and now you want to claim the credit right away rather than wait to file your 2009 return in 2010.
  • You filed your 2008 tax return claiming the credit early in 2009, before the rules changed and raised the maximum credit to $8,000 in 2009 from $7,500 in 2008. You will need to amend your 2008 return to receive the $500 difference.

TurboTax offers guidance for customers who choose to amend.

Reminder for Amending

Important: You cannot amend a return until you have either:

  • Received your refund, or
  • Your return and any taxes due have been processed by the IRS

How to Amend

  1. To amend, start your return again.
  2. On the first page, you'll see "Thanks for choosing TurboTax."
  3. Click on Change a return you've already filed (amend).
  4. Continue, then check: Yes

As shown on the screen below, you will be asked why you are amending.

Choose either:

  • I bought a home in 2008 and didn't take the first-time homebuyer credit.
  • I bought a home in 2009 and didn't take the first-time homebuyer credit.

Then follow the instructions in the program.

09-03-30-homebuyeramend

 

 

If You Don't See Screen Above

Some customers have reported that they are not being asked specifically about the First-Time Homebuyer Credit when they try to amend their tax return.

If you don't see the screen show above:

1. Go to the Federal Tax tab, select Deductions and Credits.
2. In the list of topics, expand the "Your Home" section, and the First-Time Home Buyer Credit will be the last topic in the list.

Follow the directions for claiming the credit.
 


 

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