I amended my return and now it's saying I owe money but I only reduced my refund so I shouldn't owe anything

[deante93g]

i took my dependent off and i also haven't received any payment from IRS yet

[Anonymous]

Taking off a dependent can reduce child care credit, change your filing status from HOH to single.    we can't see your returns so you should compare the amended return to the original return to see what changed to increase your tax.   

[xmasbaby0]

@deante93g You do not say when you mailed your amended return.  As already stated, removing a dependent can affect a number of credits and even your filing status, so it is possible to owe when you remove a dependent, even if you were previously receiving a refund.  You should always wait until the original return has been fully processed before you submit an amended return--then you can avoid this sort of confusion.

   The IRS has not been working on mailed returns until very recently---and an amended return could only be filed by mailing it in until late August 2020 when the IRS began to accept e-filed 2019 amended returns.   Under normal circumstances you would be able to see something about your mailed in Form 1040X after about three weeks, but that is not the case right now.  The usual 4 months for processing an amended return is going to take longer.  Sorry.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/20/politics/irs-mail-trailers-covid/index.html

MAILED RETURNS

Per the IRS website IRS Operations During COVID-19: Mission-critical functions continue:  

IRS operational status and alternatives

Processing Delays for Paper Tax Returns: Taxpayers should file electronically through their tax preparer, tax software provider, or IRS Free File. 

We’re experiencing delays in processing paper tax returns due to limited staffing. If you already filed a paper return, we will process it in the order we received it.

Do not file a second tax return or contact the IRS about the status of your return.

 If you mail a tax return (or a payment) to the IRS, it is a good idea to use a mailing service that will track it like UPS or certified mail so you will know it was received.

 TurboTax will not know anything about your amended return, and nor will TT know that you put your 1040X  in an envelope and took it to a mailbox.  TurboTax does not get updates on mailed  (or e-filed) returns.

When the IRS finally opens its mail and begins to process mailed returns you can check the status on the IRS site.

https://www.irs.gov/Filing/Individuals/Amended-Returns-(Form-1040-X)/Wheres-My-Amended-Return-1

https://www.irs.gov/filing/individuals/amended-returns-form-1040-x/amended-return-frequently-asked-q...

[carranzasantod]

this is currently happening to me and I am truly wondering what happened with your situation. Could you please advice me on what I should do. I definitely do not owe the IRS and I still haven't received my current year tax return. 

[DoninGA]

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@carranzasantod wrote:

this is currently happening to me and I am truly wondering what happened with your situation. Could you please advice me on what I should do. I definitely do not owe the IRS and I still haven't received my current year tax return. 

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Did you e-file your tax return and was it accepted?
Only the IRS and your State control when and if a Federal or State tax refund is Approved and Issued.

You complete your tax return by finishing all 3 Steps in the File section. In Step 3, to e-file your tax return, you must click on the large Orange button labeled "Transmit my returns now".

After completing the File section and e-filing your tax return you will receive two emails from TurboTax. The first email when your tax return was transmitted and the second email when the tax return has either been accepted or rejected.

Note - Once a tax return has been Accepted by the IRS or a State, TurboTax receives no further information concerning the tax return or the status of any tax refund.  Only the taxpayer listed on the tax return can obtain the status of a tax refund or a tax return.

To check the status of an e-filed return, open up your desktop product or log into your TurboTax Online Account. You can find your status within the TurboTax product.
If accepted by the IRS use the federal tax refund website to check the refund status - https://www.irs.gov/refunds
If accepted by the state use this TurboTax support FAQ to check the state tax refund status - https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899433-how-do-i-track-my-state-refund

After the tax return has been Accepted by the IRS (meaning only that they received the return) it will be in the Processing mode until the tax refund has been Approved and then an Issue Date will be available on the IRS website.
See this IRS website for federal tax refund FAQ's - https://www.irs.gov/refunds/tax-season-refund-frequently-asked-questions
If over 21 days since being Accepted by the IRS and the tax refund is still Processing you can call the IRS and speak with an IRS agent concerning your tax refund.
Call the IRS: 1-800-829-1040 hours 7 AM - 7 PM local time Monday-Friday
When calling the IRS do NOT choose the first option re: "Refund", or it will send you to an automated phone line.
So after first choosing your language, then do NOT choose Option 1 (refund info). Choose option 2 for "personal income tax" instead.
Then press 1 for "form, tax history, or payment".
Then press 3 "for all other questions."
Then press 2 "for all other questions."
- When it asks you to enter your SSN or EIN to access your account information, don't enter anything.
- After it asks twice, you will get another menu.

Press 2 for personal or individual tax questions.
Then press 4 for all other inquiries
It should then transfer you to an agent.

[carranzasantod]

I am not sure what to do as it tells me I owe them an amount before I confirm to amend the return. I have not received my tax return this year but they said I need to amend before I do. It does not make sense since it says that I owe them. What should I do? Does the IRS fix it automatically? Or should I call before I amend?

[DoninGA]

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@carranzasantod wrote:

I am not sure what to do as it tells me I owe them an amount before I confirm to amend the return. I have not received my tax return this year but they said I need to amend before I do. It does not make sense since it says that I owe them. What should I do? Does the IRS fix it automatically? Or should I call before I amend?

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If you owed on your original tax return did you pay the amount owed?  Why are you needing to amend the tax return?

Did you e-file the original tax return and if you did, was it accepted by the IRS?  You should not be amending a tax return until you have either received the tax refund or the taxes owed have been paid.

[carranzasantod]

Okay so I have never owed the IRS. And I still have not received anything I was suppose to receive this year. When I called the IRS they advised I went in and corrected my return because apparently I added the same 1099G form twice. So, I cannot delete a form from the previous filed tax return because I would have to amend it. But when I do that, (back to square one) It assumes I have already received my tax return, when they actually cant process it because there is a duplicated form in there. So I do not know what to do. Or who to contact. I don't owe them, I have not received anything, and I cant amend because now it says I owe them. 

[Critter-3]

FIRST ... I cannot believe the IRS told you to amend a return when the original has not been fully processed yet.  Did they mail you a notice telling you to do so ?   If not  I would not compound the situation by filing an amended return as that could delay things even further.  You have 3 years to amend for the additional refund so don't be in a hurry.  

By trying to keep the amendment process simple for the DIY user this is not an easy thing to correct if you are using the ONLINE program.   You have the option to amend the return using the Downloaded option instead where you can  change that amount using the FORMS mode.  

[DoninGA]

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@carranzasantod wrote:

Okay so I have never owed the IRS. And I still have not received anything I was suppose to receive this year. When I called the IRS they advised I went in and corrected my return because apparently I added the same 1099G form twice. So, I cannot delete a form from the previous filed tax return because I would have to amend it. But when I do that, (back to square one) It assumes I have already received my tax return, when they actually cant process it because there is a duplicated form in there. So I do not know what to do. Or who to contact. I don't owe them, I have not received anything, and I cant amend because now it says I owe them. 

---

Whatever you were told by the IRS does make any sense "the IRS they advised I went in and corrected my return because apparently I added the same 1099G form twice".  The only way to correct a tax return that has been filed is to amend the tax return.  You have stated you have NOT filed an amended tax return.

And this also does make any sense - "they actually cant process it because there is a duplicated form in there".  The Form 1099-G is not sent with a tax return.  Only the information from a 1099-G that you entered is on the return.

You have stated that you were to receive a tax refund from the 2019 tax return that was filed.

Look at your federal tax return Form 1040 Line 20.  Is there an amount entered on Line 20?  Or is there an amount on Line 23 which would be the amount you owe?

To access your current year online tax returns sign onto the TurboTax website with the User ID you used to create the account - https://myturbotax.intuit.com/

Scroll down to the bottom of the screen and on the section Your tax returns & documents click on Show.  Click on 2019 and Click on Download/print return (PDF)

Since you have NOT received a letter or notice from the IRS there is no reason to amend your tax return at this time.  You will just have to wait for the correspondence from the IRS so you will know Exactly what the issue with your tax return is and what the IRS wants you to do to correct the error, IF there is an error.

[Kevi1]

I had the same issue I had filed my taxes January 25th 2019 I received the letter saying that there was going to be a 60 day review and I had called several times and then they said I needed an amendment and that was just a week ago I called The Advocate hotline and they said to do the amendment right away I did the amendment right away turbo tax said I owed $5,000 and so I filed it.  Well the IRS withdrew that money out of my bank without my original tax file being done never receiving my stimulus and the funny thing is they said it would take 16 weeks for the amendment to be looked at it!   Well it didn't even take the IRS 24 hours to take the money directly out of my bank account which is now put me in a WAY negative situation which is going to affect me in such sad and horrible way...  I and this should have only reduced my refund not made me owe.

[Critter-3]

This makes even less sense unless you efiled the amended return and they let you enter the direct debit info in the FILE tab  because you usually have to mail a payment in with the amended return.   

If you did efile the amended return then in the FILE tab you must have failed to remove or edit the direct deposit information and instead used it for a direct debit ... the amendment process is brand new so I cannot see if that is even possible in the TT program.   

However, sadly, once the debit has happened then there is nothing you can really do about it until the IRS processes the amended return and sees the error  on line 18 ... amended returns are taking 4 to 6 months to process right now. 

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. If you paid nothing already then this line should be zero.

On line 18 should be the amount of your original refund you received.  If you have not received your refund yet then you need to wait for it.  If the refund changes from what you expected then this line must reflect that change.

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

[JT429]

So I have a question, If I get a refund for 1k and amend my return and owe, do I need to pay x amt owed and the 1k back? or do I just need to pay x amount back out of the 1k received 

[VolvoGirl]

Just the amount on the amended return.  You keep the original refund.

The amended return is only for the difference you get back or owe.  I think the cover sheet shows what the original return WOULD have been if you did it right the first time.

Go by the actual 1040X.  Line 18 should be your original refund amount and line 22 should be your additional refund.  If you paid on your original return it will be on line 16.  If there is an amount owed with the amendment, it will be on line 20.

If you have a tax due, do not send the 1040V.  Just include a check with the 1040X.  Ignore the 1040V.  That is for the original return or what the original return would have been if it didn’t need correcting.  Don’t pay the amount on the 1040V.  Pay the amount on the actual 1040X.

[jevaino]

I'm amending my 2019 Federal and NY returns. The amendments reduce my refunds in both cases. In both cases, I designated the entire amount of both refunds to be applied to my 2020 estimated taxes. TurboTax tells me to file the amended returns on paper and to send checks for the difference in refunds—which I did not receive as payments, but 2020 credits. Is there no way to have IRS and NY reduce the credits and not require me to send checks?