Do I also amend my state taxes?

[NiteStarXX]

I did my taxes and filed my federal electronically.  I had to mail my state taxes in, but since I owed a little, I just haven’t gotten around to doing that yet.  Today I got a 1099 in the mail for some money I forgot was going to be taxed. So my questions is, can I go in and update my tax file and just mail in the updated original d400 form to the state?  I’d then turn around and do an amendment on my filed federal return and mail that to them.   

So basically my federal tax form would be the 1040x, but my state form would just be the normal one since I had never mailed it originally.   

Is this ok, or should I just file my original state from two weeks and then just turn around and amend that to just to mail again? 

[fanfare]

after amending your federal your state will then be correct also.

isn't it good you did not mail it yet ??

if you e-Filed your 1040, you can e-File your 1040-X. You don't have to mail that.

[NiteStarXX]

That’s what I was thinking also, but when it comes to taxes and going through an audit years ago, I never want to go through that again. 😂 

Thanks!

[Opus 17]

Slightly tricky. Are you using Turbotax online?

It depends on your state.  Here's why.

When you prepare a federal amended return, you generate a new tax return with all the appropriate forms and schedules, plus a form 1040-X cover page that summarizes the differences between the original and amended return.

You don't need to file an amended state return, you just need to file a correct original state return.  But how to get that?  When you prepare the amended federal return you will also be able to print an amended state return. If your state uses the same format (all forms and pages plus a cover page) then you can just throw away the cover page and file the rest as your original return.  But if the state's amended form is different, you might have difficulty printing an original state return with all the required original parts.

It is also possible that if the amended state return is different, you could print it and throw it away and then go back on the web site and "print a copy for my records" and that might be a new "original" return with all the right pages.  But I don't know if Turbotax online works that way.

You can certainly do it in the desktop version,, installed on your own PC or Mac from a CD or download.  Just save a duplicate copy of your data file.  Make one data file the correct original state return, and add the income without amending, and print a new copy of the state return.  Make the other copy of the data file your amended federal return. 

What state is it?  Maybe a state specialist can help you.

[NiteStarXX]

I have the desktop version and that’s exactly what I had earlier today by saving a second copy of my saved return. That was I could update the one copy by doing an amendment and only mailing in the federal, but then saving and closing that one and then opening up the second save I made and just updating info on that one to reflect what it should have been and then printing out the state return that gives me to mail in.  

One good thing about this is that I had forgotten to add my new air conditioner from this past summer to claim the federal rebate for that.  That’ll at least help offset some of the taxes I’ll owe adding this 1099-misc. 

[fanfare]

after amending your federal your state will then be correct also and ready for e-File.

if your 1040 is ACCEPTED you can e-File your state return.

Am I missing something here? I don't think so.

@Opus 17 

[Opus 17]

@fanfare 

@NiteStarXX 

In this case, the taxpayer filed their federal return a couple of weeks ago, and was planning to mail the state return. Any federal return they file now would be the amended return, not the original return. For that reason, I suspect they would be unable to e-file the state return. It wouldn’t hurt to try, but don’t be surprised if you have to print, sign, and mail it in. Be sure to attach copies of any documents that are required by your state, such as W-2s.

In short, I think the customer can e-file an amended federal return from one copy of their tax data file, and print and mail a correct original state return from the other copy of their data file.

[NiteStarXX]

You are correct. For whatever reason, I was able to e-file the amended federal return and while I wasn’t going to e-file or print that state return since it was an amended one, it did show it would let me e-file it.  I then went an opened up the other save file I had to update the original fed/state to print the state out to mail in, I kind of was hoping it might let me e-file the state just to get it out of the way, but mailing was the only option on that.  No biggie though.  Thanks again for your and fanfare’s replies to my original question on this. It made me feel confident in getting it all done and file tonight.  Federal e-file was accepted within 20 minute of sending it.  

@Opus 17

@fanfare