Business & Financial Solutions
TAX HELP SERVICE AND PREPARATION
Each state has its own way of processing amended state tax refunds. Paper returns will take longer. By looking up “Where’s My State Refund”, you will be able to click on your state and find the site for getting the information about your amended return. In most states, if you have not heard anything in about 12 weeks you should contact your state’s Department of Revenue to find out the status of your return. If there are problems, ask your CPA or Tax Services professional for help.
There are many different situations where you would need to amend your state tax return. The most common reasons are that you have incorrectly filed would be income errors, incorrect filing status, and unclaimed deductions. You cannot simply amend your state tax return. You will need to also file an amendment with the federal government.
When amending a state tax return, it could also change what you owe in federal taxes. You will need to complete Form 1040X to the IRS. You can get this form online, print it out, and complete the paper form.
You will then need to contact your state’s Department of Revenue and get the correct form to use in order to amend your state taxes. Each state has its own forms to use and many will have a suffix of an X on the form.
Complete your state form and send it to your state’s Department of Revenue. Make sure all the income, deductions, and filing status boxes are correctly filled out. If you owe extra state taxes, mail the form and a check to your Department of Revenue. Send a copy of your federal amendment Form 1040X along with all your state paperwork.
To make changes on either your state or federal tax returns that have been filed and already accepted by the IRS, you will need to file an amendment to correct anything that was wrong on your returns. You will need to pick up a paper copy of your state amended form. You will need to file a federal Form 1040X. This form will have a lot of the information you will need on your state form, the X suffix tells the IRS that it is an amended form.
An amended return cannot be filed on the computer. It must be a printed form and mailed. If you are going to get a refund, then it will be sent to you in the mail and paid by check. It will not be automatically deposited into your checking account.
You can check on the status of your amendment return online by using the Where’s My Amended Return? You may also call 866-464-2050, after three weeks of filing your amended return. These tools about your amended return are in English and Spanish. You can track your return for the current year or for the past 3 years.
To prove your identity, you will need to enter your social security number of a taxpayer identification number. You will also need to enter your birth date and zip code. Once your information has been validated, you will be able to see the status of your return. You will see when it was received when it was adjusted and the completion date.
It will take about three weeks or more from the date you mailed it, to show up in the system before you can see any status on your amendment. Once your amendment is established in the system, it will then take about 16 weeks to process it fully.
In order for you to claim a refund on your taxes that you are amending, they must be filed within three years of your original returns. That would include if you needed an extension. Or it must be done within 2 years of the date in which you paid those taxes. After the time limit of 3 years has passed, you will not be able to claim a refund, that refund money would then go to the government.
If you owe taxes, you need to file an amended return no matter how long has passed. Tax debts stay on the books for at least 10 years, unlike refunds that are forfeited after only 3 years.
If you have had a tax preparer helping you to complete your taxes, then that person can help you with completing an amendment for your state and federal taxes. If you have prepared your taxes yourself and have questions, the Internal Revenue Service can help you get started on filing your amendments or ask your accountant.
If you have any questions about amended state returns or any other accounting topic. Please contact one of the prominent CPA’s in Frederick Maryland at Business and Financial Solutions.
