Re submit 2021 taxes because of dependency error.

[Gbarton]

Hi, I did not get an answer from my pervious post....... In 2021 taxes. My daughter in. 2021 was 17 for 7 months. She was my dependent but she filed as independent. She got a lot of money back in refund. I thought that was wrong that's why I doubled checked. We re- submitted her taxes and we had to give that money back.

Now I declared her as a dependent on my taxes before she filed but the refund was a lot less than expected. It did not include her 7 months dependent. Can I resubmit my taxes to clear this up on my end.?

[JohnS_CPA]

If you filed your return, claimed your daughter as a dependent and the return was accepted by the IRS, filing an amended return should not change your refund. 

If you filed a return claiming your daughter as a dependent and the IRS corrected your refund because your daughter had already filed her return then filing an amended return may result in a larger refund for you. Before you file an amended return in this situation your daughter's return should be (or has been) amended, accepted and any tax due paid. 

Your fact summary states you resubmitted your daughter's return. Does that mean you filed an amended return for her? 

[Gbarton]

Yes, we filed an amendment to her taxes. She fixed the being independent, 7 months she was under 18 and a dependent of mine. This caused us to send her tax refund money back what she was given...... But for my taxes I did not file an amendment. I have not changed it. There is nothing to change but resubmit it. The IRS should have knowledge from my daughters tax return that she was not independent for 7 months in 2021. This would change my tax return.

[Gbarton]

I just don't know what to do. For the 2021 filing. 

[JohnS_CPA · Accepted solution]

You can amend your 2021 tax return and claim your daughter as a dependent if:

• She is your child or stepchild
• Under age 19 or under age 24 if full time student
• Did not provide more than 1/2 of her own support
• Does not file a joint return with someone else
• Is a US citizen, US national, US resident alien or resident of Canada or Mexico
• Lived with you for more than 6 months during the year

If you meet the above tests, received the refund claimed on your original return and your daughter's amended return has been filed and tax paid you can file an amended return for 2021 within three years after the date you timely filed your original return.