@MaryK4 wrote:
If you are under 18 and sign on behalf of your child, the IRS will not be able to give you information and the return is not valid.
From the IRS: "If a child can’t file his or her own return for any reason, such as age, the child's parent, guardian, or other legally responsible person must file it for the child.
A parent or guardian who signs a return on a child's behalf can deal with the IRS on all matters connected with the return. In general, a parent or guardian who doesn’t sign the child's return can only provide information concerning the child's return and pay the child's tax. That parent or guardian isn’t entitled to receive information from the IRS or legally bind the child to a tax liability arising from the return."
@sperbercom
This doesn't make sense.
- "If you are under 18 and sign on behalf of your child"? Why can't a teenage parent sign a return for their child (who has income for some strange reason).
- If you are an adult and sign for your own minor child, why won't the IRS talk to you? The IRS surely won't insist on talking to a 10 year old about their investments.
- You quoted "a parent or guardian who doesn’t sign the child's...isn’t entitled to receive information from the IRS" which is not the same as saying that the parent who does sign for the child isn't entitled.
This is the full IRS quote
Responsibility for Child's Return
Generally, a child is responsible for filing his or her own tax return and for paying any tax, penalties, or interest on that return. If a child can’t file his or her own return for any reason, such as age, the child's parent, guardian, or other legally responsible person must file it for the child.
Signing the child's return.
If the child can’t sign his or her return, a parent or guardian must sign the child's name followed by the words "By (signature), parent (or guardian) for minor child."
Authority of parent or guardian.
A parent or guardian who signs a return on a child's behalf can deal with the IRS on all matters connected with the return.
In general, a parent or guardian who doesn’t sign the child's return can only provide information concerning the child's return and pay the child's tax. That parent or guardian isn’t entitled to receive information from the IRS or legally bind the child to a tax liability arising from the return.
And lastly, nothing here has anything to do with why these taxpayers are being told to call a phone number to file a return for their child.
