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Transcripts says I haven't filed but I did and my husband has the confirmation on his - we filed as married jointly and on my transcript it says filing separate

My husband and I submitted 2020 and 2021 taxes as Married filing jointly. He has on his records that the tax return was submitted but mine says that I have not submitted a return in both years. My transcript is also saying that my status is married filing separately, why is that? How do I change that if technically I have not filed the tax (According to the IRS transcript) ?

 

- Should we both have submitted the return or just submitting one is enough?

- Why do my transcripts say I didn't submit a return but my husband transcripts show we submitted it together?

- My name was misspelled on the 2020 tax ( I have two last names, the first one was sent just with the initial instead of the entire word) - could that be the reason even if the SSN is correct?

- how to fix it?

 

thanks

 

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Transcripts says I haven't filed but I did and my husband has the confirmation on his - we filed as married jointly and on my transcript it says filing separate


@debivany15 wrote:

Thank you. After 3 years the IRS cannot complain?

 

Thanks,

 

Deborah


The statute of limitation is 3 years (or sometimes 6 years) from the date you file your return.  If you never file a return, the statute of limitations never starts, and the IRS can come after you forever.

 

But that's not what happened here.  You did file a joint return with your spouse.  That should be indicated in your spouse's online account even if there was a mistake with your name that keeps it from showing up in your account.  If the IRS ever sent you a notice of deficiency because they think you didn't file, you just have to point them to your joint return with your spouse. 

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Transcripts says I haven't filed but I did and my husband has the confirmation on his - we filed as married jointly and on my transcript it says filing separate

@debivany15 

As a practical matter, there is nothing you can do. The IRS is never responsive in the best of times, and they’re so backlogged with Covid that I have no idea how or when you might be able to get through to them. If you insist on making the attempt, I would contact the taxpayer advocate service.

https://www.irs.gov/taxpayer-advocate

 

generally, the IRS will only contact you if they think you owe them money. If they think that you have not filed the return, but they have calculated that you probably would get a refund, they will not contact you to file a return. They will certainly not pay a refund if you don’t file, but they aren’t likely to bother you either. If they think you owe money, they will contact you, and this could take several years from the missed deadline. If you did get an assessment letter, you would reply by sending them proof that you have filed jointly with your spouse.   

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13 Replies
rjs
Level 15
Level 15

Transcripts says I haven't filed but I did and my husband has the confirmation on his - we filed as married jointly and on my transcript it says filing separate


@debivany15 wrote:

- Should we both have submitted the return or just submitting one is enough?


You only submit a joint tax return once. The one submission is for both of you.

 


@debivany15 wrote:

- Why do my transcripts say I didn't submit a return but my husband transcripts show we submitted it together?

- My name was misspelled on the 2020 tax ( I have two last names, the first one was sent just with the initial instead of the entire word) - could that be the reason even if the SSN is correct?


That is almost certainly the reason.

 


@debivany15 wrote:

- how to fix it?


I wouldn't do anything. Just wait to see if you hear from the IRS (which could be up to 3 years from the due date of the return or the date that you filed, whichever is later).


Did you e-file or file by mail? If you e-filed, the fact that your e-file was accepted shows that the IRS somehow matched up the name. The e-file would have been rejected immediately if the IRS computers couldn't match the name. (They don't accept or reject a joint return for each spouse separately. If it was accepted for your husband, it was accepted for you, too.)


If you filed by mail you may yet get a notice from the IRS. You will then have the opportunity to straighten it out by replying to the notice.


In the future, make sure that your last name on your tax return is the same as your last name in the Social Security records. If you are not sure what Social Security thinks your last name is, call them and ask.

 

Transcripts says I haven't filed but I did and my husband has the confirmation on his - we filed as married jointly and on my transcript it says filing separate

Thank you so much. It was filed via mail, unfortunately. If it passed the 3 year mark, they can't say anything?

 

 

Transcripts says I haven't filed but I did and my husband has the confirmation on his - we filed as married jointly and on my transcript it says filing separate

Thank you. After 3 years the IRS cannot complain?

 

Thanks,

 

Deborah

Transcripts says I haven't filed but I did and my husband has the confirmation on his - we filed as married jointly and on my transcript it says filing separate

IRS works in strange ways.

 

after three years, you cannot correct your filing to get a refund.

Transcripts says I haven't filed but I did and my husband has the confirmation on his - we filed as married jointly and on my transcript it says filing separate

So I just have to wait now? There's no way to send an amendment to correct it?

Transcripts says I haven't filed but I did and my husband has the confirmation on his - we filed as married jointly and on my transcript it says filing separate


@debivany15 wrote:

Thank you. After 3 years the IRS cannot complain?

 

Thanks,

 

Deborah


The statute of limitation is 3 years (or sometimes 6 years) from the date you file your return.  If you never file a return, the statute of limitations never starts, and the IRS can come after you forever.

 

But that's not what happened here.  You did file a joint return with your spouse.  That should be indicated in your spouse's online account even if there was a mistake with your name that keeps it from showing up in your account.  If the IRS ever sent you a notice of deficiency because they think you didn't file, you just have to point them to your joint return with your spouse. 

Transcripts says I haven't filed but I did and my husband has the confirmation on his - we filed as married jointly and on my transcript it says filing separate

Thank you very much!!

Transcripts says I haven't filed but I did and my husband has the confirmation on his - we filed as married jointly and on my transcript it says filing separate

how can your status say 

a) you haven't filed (not submitted)

b) your filing status is Married Filing Separately.

?

 

This cannot be.

 

@debivany15 

Transcripts says I haven't filed but I did and my husband has the confirmation on his - we filed as married jointly and on my transcript it says filing separate


@fanfare wrote:

how can your status say 

a) you haven't filed (not submitted)

b) your filing status is Married Filing Separately.

?

 

This cannot be.

 

@debivany15 


@fanfare sometimes if a taxpayer does not file, the computer will create a return for them.  I assume that's what has happened in this case, especially if the spouse's name had a typo and the IRS did not match it correctly to their master record.

 

If they are filing on paper, the very best way to verify they filed jointly, is to get a photocopy of the joint tax return, there is a fee for this.

Transcripts says I haven't filed but I did and my husband has the confirmation on his - we filed as married jointly and on my transcript it says filing separate

So by doing that I proof to the IRS that it was submitted? What is the process to fix it ( before they reach out) 

 

thank you 

Transcripts says I haven't filed but I did and my husband has the confirmation on his - we filed as married jointly and on my transcript it says filing separate

@debivany15 

As a practical matter, there is nothing you can do. The IRS is never responsive in the best of times, and they’re so backlogged with Covid that I have no idea how or when you might be able to get through to them. If you insist on making the attempt, I would contact the taxpayer advocate service.

https://www.irs.gov/taxpayer-advocate

 

generally, the IRS will only contact you if they think you owe them money. If they think that you have not filed the return, but they have calculated that you probably would get a refund, they will not contact you to file a return. They will certainly not pay a refund if you don’t file, but they aren’t likely to bother you either. If they think you owe money, they will contact you, and this could take several years from the missed deadline. If you did get an assessment letter, you would reply by sending them proof that you have filed jointly with your spouse.   

Transcripts says I haven't filed but I did and my husband has the confirmation on his - we filed as married jointly and on my transcript it says filing separate

@Opus 17 wouldn't the husband's transcript show the filing status? 

Transcripts says I haven't filed but I did and my husband has the confirmation on his - we filed as married jointly and on my transcript it says filing separate

The taxpayer here seems to want extra reassurance.  I wouldn’t do anything unless the IRS sent a demand letter, but if the taxpayer wants extra assurance, they could pay for a copy of their joint return as-filed. 

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