Filing an amend for child care ..1040x

[Confused20]

Sorry I’m at my deadline. I’ve put it off for soooo long and afraid that if I don’t fill the forms out by this Friday I’ll be out of luck.  It’ll officially be 3 years in a few days and I was told after that I can’t amend ? Anyways my amend is pretty simple I believe but I don’t know what I’m supposed to be doing. The amount paid for childcare is not accurate. To be honest no one knows truly how much was paid as the person that provided childcare is unavailable and she admitted she made the number higher than actually paid. I decided to just drop the credit totally and put a 0 and make that adjustment and pay back whatever I have to. Please walk me thru the amending process as well as what would happen if I don’t meet my deadline ? Do I have to fill out the ENTIRE 1040x or just the line I’m amending ? Also WHERE on the form is the childcare tax credit ? 

[fanfare · Accepted solution]

step 1 

you must have a paper copy of the return you originally filed.

that's most important.

Step 2.

after that prepare your revised tax return by any means, you chose (turbotax 2016 cd/download , for example or other software).

print that return so you can compare the two tax returns.

step3

get the 1040X for 2016 in fillable PDF format at irs.gov and it's instructions.

it will tell you how to prepare, assemble and mail an amended return.

step 4

Tell yourself not to wait until the last minute.

[fanfare]

I meant TurboTax 2017 software, 2017 is the earliest year you can amend for a refund at this moment.

[Confused20]

Thank you. Unfortunately I used a different company other than TurboTax for that year and am doing everything by hand. I have my 1040x and my originally filed 1040. I also have a BLANK 1040 to make corrections. The thing is sooo confusing because the 1040x is wayyy mire simplified than the 1040. For instance I’m looking for the “Tax and Credits” portion on the 1040x like it is on the 1040. Line 52 specifically. Idk. It’s just confusing. 

[NCperson]

okay, let me understand and I may be out of line here. 

If i understand correctly, you may have over reported what the child care figure was in 2017 and now you want to right your conscious and reduce the number and pay back the IRS any ill gotten taxes, right? 

while I applaud your conscious, I can't imagine the IRS is going to knock on your door 3 years later and audit for this!   They have bigger fish to fry! 

[Confused20]

You are 10000 % correct on your assumption. Thank you so much