What happens if I put in the wrong gross income number?

[trinamckinney37]

I couldn't find my tax papers from last year, so what happens if I put the wrong gross income number

[AmyW · Accepted solution]

The IRS uses your previous year's AGI as a method to verify your identity. If the number is incorrect, the tax return would be rejected and you would have an opportunity to correct this number. 

For more information about AGI, please see the link below.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/replies/3301618

[jadkins75]

What happens if u put the wrong number but it was accepted and not rejected ?

[VolvoGirl]

For last year’s AGI?  That would be very unusual to be accepted.  But it shouldn’t affect your 2017 return.

[jadkins75]

I was asking about 2017 return. A friend of mine thinks she put the wrong agi on her return and she's been seeing or if itnwas wrong they would reject her return but it was accepted and is being processed.... Should she be concerned

[jadkins75]

And she didn't file last year

[VolvoGirl]

I said last year’s AGI because you have to put down your last year’s (2016) AGI to efile this year.  If she didn’t file last year her AGI is 0 zero.

[jadkins75]

She didn't file last year and put this years agi from her 1099 on her return and its been processing for almost 3 weeks will she need to amend it

[carlaliendo21]

hello! 

I need know if i already submit the taxes with a wrong agi information, can i fix it? 

[KarenM90]

If you submit your return and transmit it with the incorrect prior year AGI  (Adjusted Gross Income) number, your return will be rejected. 

Turbo Tax uses this information to verify your identity.  

Once it is rejected you will be able to back into your return and make the correction.

[Cacie23]

Agi number 

[JeanneLO]

If you entered an incorrect AGI (or not one at all) when submitting your tax return it could be rejected by the IRS, however you will then have the opportunity to fix it. Please watch for an email from us and see this TurboTax FAQ for more information on how to fix a rejected tax return:

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/rejections/help/how-do-i-fix-a-rejected-return/00/26136

[sdart0828aolcom]

So if you put ZERO and it accepted it and that INCORRECT what will happen?? 

[kiwitay]

I have the same question. were you able to fix yours or did you just leave it be?

[xmasbaby0]

@kiwitay Entering your 2018 AGI is the way the RS verifies that the same person who used that SSN last year is the one filing a tax return using that same SSN.  (because a stranger should not know your w2018 AGI....)  If you do not have access to your 2018 return then you can always try using zero to get the return e-filed.  If the IRS accepts it with zero, you are okay.  Now you just have to wait for the IRS to process your return.  You do not have to change the AGI if the return was accepted.