Can I amend my tax returns to remove a dependent so they can collect a stimulus check? Regardless of the reason can I amend my returns and remove a dependant?

[NickAtNite93]

My ex girlfriend claimed me as a dependent on her 2019 taxes unbeknownst to me.

Thing is, we split up in early February 2019, and I moved two hours away from where she was...

I didn’t find out that she claimed me until I tried to apply for the first stimulus but then was denied because someone had claimed me.

I messaged my ex and asked her if she had claimed me, to which she said that she did but it was an accident because she thought that even if I lived with her for only just one month out of the year, she could claim me for that whole year (I even have fb messages with her admitting this) and that she filled out an amendment (this was earlier this year supposedly, before the first stimulus)

Not only have I tried reapplying every month in hopes that the IRS straightened everything out via the non filers tool( and get an error every time) but when I called the IRS (a handful of times), no one there had a straight answer as to how the problem could be fixed so I could get my stimulus... (I even sent them multiple emails, to which I’ve gotten no reply)

Someone at the IRS said I should receive the stimulus with my 2020 taxes, someone else said that even though I was wrongfully claimed in 2019, the damage has been done and they could do nothing to help me.

(In 2017, I worked while she was in school. In 2018, I went to school after she graduated and then she started work. The last time I have filed taxes was in 2017. At that time, i never checked the box where I could be a dependent on someone else’s taxes.

In 2018, she was the only one who filed taxes, claiming me as a dependent because we lived together and I was in school full time while she worked.

In early 2019, around the beginning of February, I moved out and moved on my own. The whole year of 2019, I should not have been claimed.

I even have messages of her confirming that I moved out in early 2019 and that she made a mistake but filled out an amendment and mailed it in (even though I have not received anything from the IRS

Am I not eligible to receive my first or even second stimulus just because of the mistake my ex made?

How would I fix this in order to receive them?

Would I be able to get proof that my ex did file an amendment?

[macuser_22]

@NickAtNite93 - What happened in the past makes no difference now for the stimulus.   Since the stimulus is actually a 2020 stimulus and 2019 tax season is over, any stimulus now will be based on what you put on your 2020 tax return.   For 2020, there is a stimulus question in the interview that ill ask if you have previously received the payment and if answer no, it will be added to your 2020 tax return.

[NCperson]

@NickAtNite93 - you should see the $1800 credit on Line 30 of Form 1040- it has the effect of increasing your refund.  HOWEVER, suggest NOT rushing to file; The IRS, Turbo Tax and others are racing to re-tool their softwares to accommodates the tax law that was signed last week; so be sure you see the $1800 credit on Line 30 before hitting the 'send' button! 

[gchandler267]

I had a question that was similar to this, and I was hoping someone could provide me with an answer. 

My mother, who is 48, has been staying with my family for an "extended vacation." I asked if she would mind if I claimed her as a relative dependent, because I figured that I would be able to share some of my refund with her since she cannot file her own as she didn't make enough money last year. My mother did work a few jobs here and there in 2020 but most of the money she had either came from me sending her some when she needed it, or her plasma donations. On my tax return that I e-filed, I wrote that she was only with me for 4 months out of the year since she came down to visit in August. 

I didn't think about the stimulus checks until after I had already submitted my return, and now I've been regretting my choice to put her down as a dependent because she could use the extra income the stimulus provides. 

If I amend my return to remove her once taxes are accepted for this year, will she able to receive the future stimulus checks that are sent out? Will she even be considered a dependent under the description they go by if the amendment doesn't go through in time? 

I know that nothing has been decided for the third stimulus check yet, but I have been beating myself up about this for the past few days. I even went through my taxes again on a separate account to see how much I would owe if I removed her and the only difference was $113 from the State Tax Refund. 

[Critter-3]

Yes you can amend your return AFTER the first return has fully processed and you have the original refund in hand.

Next, she can MAIL in a 2020 return anytime to get any refund due her AND the stimulus money.  She doesn't need to wait for your amended return to be processed months from now. 

Lastly,  as for the unknown future stimulus check ... no one can say what will happen. 

[DawnC]

It is possible.  She has 3 years to file a 2020 tax return to claim a refund of any taxes paid or the recovery rebate.   You should look at your tax return to see if you actually claimed her or not.  She would be listed as a dependent on page 1.   You wouldn't have received any stimulus money for her, but you would have received the $500 Other Dependent tax credit and she may have qualified you to claim the Head of Household status (if you were otherwise filing Single without her).    

But you could certainly remove her as your dependent after your tax return is processed and you receive any refund from the return you already filed.  You would need to pay back the tax benefits (from credits or filing status) you received for her though.   And after that she could file her own 2020 tax return.  

If she received either payment, she doesn't have to pay that back if you claimed her.  And, if she received the first one and then files a return after you remove her from your return, she would only get the second payment.  In that case, it probably will not be a net gain for your family.    You have to take into consideration what you gained (federal and state) by claiming her vs what she gains by going through the process described above.  

[MaxwellSmart]

thank you

[MaxwellSmart]

Because of the stimulus, obviously.    The credit for an adult dependent is $500.    So he got nothing.   The people who need it the most get nothing?    Had I not claimed him, he would have gotten $1800 - money that i've had to spend helping to support him.   Sure, I got my 1800 but what about him?   He still eats, he's working a job, he's struggling that's all.       Adult dependents aren't penniless bums living in my basement, contrary to popular belief.   The Adult child credit is a way the government says, "hey you help a family member get by when times are tough here's a credit."   But to deny and make an exception to get ZERO in stimulus payment was a really **[removed] decision.

[MaxwellSmart]

Right - in other words people who need the stimulus the most.    Why would they deny them that just because someone claimed them and got $500??  that makes no sense.

[gchandler267]

She filed her own taxes back in 2020 for the 2019 tax returns, this year (the tax return for 2020 that I filed on 01/20/2021) was the first time I've ever claimed her since she was staying with us. She's received the first and second round of stimulus checks because of that, but I'm just concerned about whether or not I've messed up her chances to receive the third round that they're now talking about sending out. 

I filed as Head of Household on my taxes this year like I do every year, because I have two children that I claim. I went through it and after adding her, I didn't even see a mention of receiving anything for her- Just the child tax credit for my two kids. I looked at the PDF version of it after I filed and it has my kids listed on the dependent part but it also has a check mark in the box next to my mother's name for "Other dependent credit" since I marked her as a relative. 

I was so bothered by it after realizing that adult dependents haven't been able to receive the previous stimulus checks that I created another account on TurboTax just to go through and see what the difference in my refund was without her. It was only a $113.00 difference in my State Tax Return- It didn't change anything in my Federal at all. I wanted to do that so I would know how much of a difference it made when I do amend it to remove her. 

Since it was showing that as the difference, does that mean that it'll be all I owe the IRS after amending my return?  I'm honestly confused as to how it only took something from my state. 

[howekayla8]

I claimed all 3 children in 2019 and I file single. My ex and I have to take turns each year with my oldest son so 2020 would be his turn. I didn't work enough in 2020 so my boyfriend claimed our two other children this year. I received both the first and second stimulus based off 2019 taxes. I filed 2020 thinking I had to use the child tax credit with my oldest son and was wrong. I can't since his father most likely already did.  I need to amend my return but also don't want the IRS to use 2020 due to my mess up. Will they still use 2019 since I have to amend 2020's? We are struggling and the stimulus has helped and now I could have screwed it up. Help!

[howekayla8]

If I claimed all 3 children in 2019 and received both stimulus checks but their fathers are claiming them this year and I didn't work enough to file for 2020 but did anyways will I even receive a stimulus again? 

[Foodie517]

My fiance has been battling brain cancer for 7 years and had 2 tumers removed from her head and became partially paralyzed on left side of body and lost her job because of amount of time needed for treatment, now she's on SSID and watching her give up everything for something she had no controll over and believe me I always thought people that collected money from government had it easy , that's before I witnessed and saw first hand how little assistance they get and how far it goes, so I claimed her on my taxes in 2019  seeing that I pick up alot of cost associated with daily living like over counter meds, shampoo, deodorant , ext. Then giving her  the $500 credit so she can at least buy a laptop to keep in touch with dr.s and give her something when in hospital for months, then stimulus checks started going out and some of the people that could really use it the most that have suffered whole lives just to see that everyone else unemployed got extra $600 a week on top of there unemployment checks and giving $1,200 stimulus checks and hearing them complain there broke and being shielded from what it's really like living on half of that , If I amend my 2019 taxes and take her off can I get her the $2,400 in stimulus money she was told she didn't qualify for?

[DK791]

Is it possible to receive the stimulus payments for an adult child who is dependent?  Or possibly have her receive them? She has been claimed as such in the past.  For 2019 taxes her parents received the $500 tax credit. 

She has had no income for at least the past three years, and meets all of the requirements for dependency.

[VolvoGirl]

If she qualifies to be a dependent then she should be on the parent's return  (or whoever claims her).  A dependent has to be under 17 on Dec 31, 2020 to get the first 2 Stimulus payments.  For the 3rd EIP coming out now there is no age limit on dependents.