Fixing Disagreement Between 1040X and amended 1040

[DFH]

Question:   How can one get the amended 1040 and the 1040X forms to agree on the amount due or overpaid (and the corresponding California 540 and Sch. A forms)?  Even though I realize that the amended 1040 need not be submitted to the IRS, I would like it to be correct for my records (that I keep as soft copies).

Background:  To amend my 2017 federal and California returns, I followed instructions:  Load original 2017 TTax file, in One-Step mode select Federal Taxes > Other Tax Situations > Other Tax Forms > "Amend a return."  This generated 1040X and Calif. Schedule X forms, while retaining all previous forms.

On Form 1040X, below Line 15 there is a Smart Worksheet, and on its Line B one may entire “Tax Paid with original return,” which I did. 

The reason for needing to amend the original 1040 was an overlooked 1099-R, so in forms mode I added another 1099-R and populated its lines.  I also updated Schedule A with additional deductions.  The new 1099-R and revised Schedule A data was reflected in both the amended 1040 and 1040X forms.  However, the amount of tax I paid with original return was did not appear anywhere on the 1040.  This led to a discrepancy between the amended 1040 and 1040X calculations of how much tax was owed or overpaid, with 1040X being correct.   

Somewhere in TTax instructions or in the answer to a question on an Intuit webpage, I saw the instruction to add the amount of tax paid with filing to the Tax Payments Worksheet on Line 5.  When I tried that, the amended 1040 became the correct form because the 1040X counted the tax paid with filing twice.  The same issue obtained in the Calif. Amended 540 and Schedule X forms.

[Critter]

Sorry you are confused ... the 1040X IS the correct return and the new 1040 that is included in the PDF is what the return SHOULD have looked like if you filed it correctly to begin with ... it will NEVER be the same as the amended return and that is how it should be.

Look at the form 1040X …

Column A should have the figures from the original return, Column C the corrected figures and Column B the differences between the other 2 which needs an explanation on page 2 of the form 1040X.

If you completed it correctly you will see an entry on either line 16 OR 18:

On line 16 should be the amount you paid with your original return. 

On line 18 should be the amount of your original refund you received.

Then you will see your extra refund on line 22 OR  the new balance due you need to pay on line 20.

[DFH]

Thanks for the clarification @Critter.  I understood the way the 1040X functions.  The insight you have provided me is that "1040 that is included in the PDF is what the return SHOULD have looked like if you filed it correctly to begin with," rather than new 1040 reflecting the tax payment made when the original 1040 was filed. 

It sure would have save me some time if Intuit had either not had the program generate the new 1040, or had explained in the One-Step mode what the new 1040 would represent.

In fact, I found no instructions on how to proceed after I selected "Amend a return." Another oversight was the One-Step mode didn't even provide instructions on how to launch the return amendment process; I had to go to the Intuit website to learn that.  As I remember, earlier TTax versions gave an "Amend a Return" choice before loading the file. 

I hope someone at Intuit reads these posts for suggests for improvement of subsequent years of TTax.  

[Critter]

The new 1040 is for you to use to understand the changes by comparing the old & new forms side by side ... it is only to be used as an aid so you can explain the changes clearly as one change can effect many lines of the return.    And to amend a return in the downloaded version once the original return was efiled successfully  ...

732 helpful votes

How do I amend a 2018 return in the TurboTax CD/Download software?

Make sure you've saved a copy of your original 2018 return, either as a PDF or paper printout, before you start the amend process (just in case you need to backtrack).

1. Open the return you want to amend in your TurboTax software program.
2. Make sure your return is exactly as it was when you originally filed it.
   • If you made any changes after you e-filed or mailed, undo them. We suggest comparing your onscreen numbers with a paper copy of your filed return.
3. Now, make a copy your return by selecting Save As (or Duplicate in Mac) from the File menu.
   • You'll be renaming and amending this copy. This preserves your original return "as is," in case you make an error on the amendment and need to start again.
   • Give the copy a distinctive name to distinguish from the originally-filed one (e.g., 2018 Amended Return) before you click Save.
4. In your program, search for amend, and then click the "Jump to" link in the search results.
5. Carefully follow the on-screen instructions to amend your 2018 return.
   • Don't worry if your refund meter drops to 0 and does strange things while you're amending; this is normal. Your calculations will come out correctly in the end.
6. Continue following the onscreen instructions. When finished, TurboTax will give you instructions for printing and mailing your amended return, as amendments cannot be e-filed.

3 weeks after mailing your amended return, you can start tracking it at the IRS Where's My Amended Return? tracking tool. Please allow at least 16 weeks for the IRS to process your amended return.

Processing times for amended state returns vary from state to state. If it's been more than 12 weeks since you mailed your amended state return, and you haven't heard anything, we suggest you contact your state tax agency.