Forgot prior year 1099-INT

[corgi-ori]

I recently found an old 1099-INT form a small joint savings account from a prior year (2016) that I did not include in my original filing for that year. Since it's so old, I'm past the 3-year deadline for an amended return. Moreover, I never received a letter from the IRS asking to rectify the difference. The 1099 INT is only for about $75, but that is still above the $10 minimum limit. Should I try to file an amended return for 2016? Is there some way to verify that I need to rectify this difference? I don't want to just walk past this mistake and have it accumulate over the next years and decades to become a huge penalty (at least more than it already potentially has). Any advice would be greatly appreciated thank you!

[AnnetteB6]

First, verify that it is your Social Security number shown on Form 1099-INT.  If it was for a joint account with someone other than your spouse, perhaps the other person should be the one reporting it.  

The deadline for filing an amended return for 2016 has passed if you are filing to receive an additional refund.  Since you would be reporting additional income, the amended return would be appropriate.  However, adding about $75 to your income would result in a very minimal change in your taxes owed.  

Take a look at your 2016 return and see what your taxable income was as it was reported.  Add $75 to it and look up that number in the tax tables to see how your income tax would change.  Then decide if it is worth the effort to file an amended return given the fact that the IRS did not catch the omission.

For your reference, here are the 2016 tax tables:  2016 Tax Table Form 1040

[Mike9241]

don't bother.    in most cases the IRS lets small errors slide because it costs them more to send out a bill and process payment than what they'll collect.

I left $7 of interest off my 2019 return and have never heard a peep from the iRS. 

if the IRS truly wanted the money you would have gotten a bill or would have had a future refund reduced.