Mistake on Taxes

[aderc]

We bought the TurboTax desktop CD.  We did my brother's taxes (he is separated) and he accidently added his son as a dependent without noticing.  He filed and received his money already.  Now that his wife was working on her taxes she noticed she can't claim her son as a dependent.  Since he claimed him on accident he didn't claim the advanced child tax credit.    What is the best option here: 1. Amend his taxes by removing his son as a dependent?  If he does this will his wife then be able to claim their son on her taxes if she works on them today?  2.  Leave his taxes as is with him claiming his son as a dependent?  But then how do they claim the advanced child tax credit?  Or either way the mother had to claim the son on her taxes because of the advanced child tax credit.  Please help in providing an easy solution here.

[Cynthiad66]

This is a long process.  I recommend he amend his return to remove the dependent and all of the credits associated with the dependent.  The spouse will need to wait until the amended is processed to file electronically or she can print and mail her return with the dependent.  The spouse will need to print, sign and mail returns wit a note explaining why.

This scan take a few weeks.

[aderc]

Ok so if he amends his today, he can file it electronically via the TurboTax CD?  Once amendment is sent can his wife start her doing her taxes on TurboTax tonight?  Wondering how long she has to wait before she can start, as now it shows that she can't claim her son as a dependent because someone else already did.  And the deadline for taxes is April 18th.  When my brother amends his taxes, I assume that means he will then be required to return the $ that was given for the dependent?  There is no other easier way to fix this?  

[ThomasM125]

It will normally take the IRS some time to process an amended return. His spouse can file her return by the due date of April 18, but it may be adjusted by the IRS if they haven't processed the amended return yet. She will have to mail her return in in all likelihood even once the IRS processes the amended return, since her dependent's social security number was listed on another tax return.

If her refund is adjusted, she can respond to the IRS notice regarding that with an explanation that the other return was amended and eventually the IRS will refund the balance due her. 

Her spouse will likely have to pay money in with his amended tax return.

[aderc]

Ok just to get this clear.  Today I will tell my brother to amend his taxes via TurboTax.  I will then tell my sister-in-law to complete her taxes today.  She can add her son as a dependent and claim all the child credits and advanced child tax credit but she won't be able to file electronically?  She'll have to print it out and mail it in by today so she meets the April 18th deadline right?  Will TurboTax still give her issues when she is trying to add her son as a dependent today?

[Vanessa A]

No, TurboTax does not know who filed and claimed dependents, only the IRS has that information.  They are the ones that would reject the return because someone else already claimed a dependent.

As for the rest of everything, yes you have everything correct as to what you will tell them.