Full error message from IRS: IND-517-01 - A Dependent SSN in the return must not be the same as the Primary or Spouse SSN on another return where 'PrimaryClaimAsDependentInd' or 'SpouseClaimAsDependentInd' is not checked.
My son got married on Dec 29. My daughter-in law used TT to file, and it filed as "married filing separately". On her return, the checkbox "Someone can claim your spouse as a dependent" is NOT checked. (It never asked) My son has not yet filed.
Is this checkbox the cause of my return being rejected? How do we fix this?
Yes, this is the reason why your return is being rejected.
In order to fix the problem, two things must occur.
1. Your daughter-in-law must file an amended income tax return (see the FAQ below for instructions) to check the box that someone can claim her spouse as a dependent.
2. You must, unfortunately, file your income tax return by mail to include your son as a dependent.
I have a similar question. My son did not originally check the "Someone can claim your spouse as a dependent" so my return was originally rejected. He amended his return with that box checked. His amended return has been accepted, so I resubmitted my tax return electronically but it was just rejected again. How do I get around this - do I need to mail my return instead of filing electronically?
You can't get around this. You'll need to mail in a paper return. The IRS won’t allow a second return claiming the same SSN to be e-filed.
So I can get around this by mailing my paper return, correct?