Question about amended tax returns and refunds

[valkok86]

I found I could have been filing my adult son the past few years as a dependent because he had no income and been out of a job and he lives with me. I always get more in state taxes than I owe in federal but with adding a dependent with no income I can get much more. We live in NY. My questions are

1) If I amend the taxes to add him as a dependent how many years back can I do so?

2) Will I also receive the refunds I'm owed or is there any limit to that?

3) Can my son also file the past few years his back taxes and receive the little that new york state taxes provide back for most even if you don't work? Such as school credits etc.

[NCperson]

any tax submission can be amended for three years from the date you filed, so certainly 2016-2018 can be amended.   2015 can be amended but go back and look at the date you filed as the window is closing on that one

before going through the work to amend, I would suggest validating that you can deduct your adult son by using the IRS app at this website: 

https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/whom-may-i-claim-as-a-dependent

you can check back in time a number of years just by answering the questions in the app

i don't know about NY

[HollyP]

@valkok86

1. You have 3 years from the date you filed your return (or 2 years after you paid the tax due, whichever is later) to file an amended return, which means you don't have to get it done by the April 15 filing deadline. Here is, How to amend (change or correct) a return you already filed.
2. There no limit, however, it is strictly based on your overall tax calculations.
3. No, your son cannot file a return to claim the education benefits if you claim him as your dependent. Instead, you would report the educational expenses on your amended return. 

[Esperanzali]

I need to talk with your rep about form 1040X I cannot complete.
I also cannot print the 2018 pages of the income tax so I can try to complete the 1040X