Skip to the bottom if you don’t need the whole story.
The whole story is probably unnecessary, but I’ll provide it anyways:
A month ago I got my W-2 and filed my taxes online, using TurboTax. I filed under “Married Filing Separately” and took the standard deduction. All told I got a whopping $94 back.
My wife started doing her taxes the other day and after exploring the numbers, it turns out we’d do better filing jointly. The house is in her name only, and she earns about 30% more than I do (in previous years we earned almost exactly the same salary), so it turns out the difference is significant (MFS with the standard deduction she would owe about $650 between Federal and State; MFJ, we get a $1200 refund).
I went back into TurboTax and amended my return to change my filing status and add all of her stuff. I punched it all in to TurboTax and printed out the amended return, and it printed out both a 1040 and 1040X (as well as a Maryland 502 and 502X).
Anyways, my question is simply: do I mail in just the 1040X and 502X, or do I send them both forms, i.e. is TurboTax just being thorough and giving me everything, and I only need to send in the “X” forms, or do I need to mail in ALL of these forms they’ve given me?
Take the Form 1040, mark it in large letters “AMENDED” at the top, staple Form 1040X to the front of it and mail it in to the IRS.
I couldn’t find clear instructions about whether Form 502 had to be attached to Form 502X. I would just mark the 502 as “AMENDED” at the top and attach it behind Form 502X. Then you must also make a copy of all the forms that you sent to the IRS and attach them behind Form 502. Mail all the forms to the Maryland Comptroller’s office.
Umm… turns out the wife just stuffed everything into an envelope and mailed them to their respective destinations before I got a chance to put them together in the above manner.
The IRS and Comptroller of Maryland will just send me a letter asking for whatever missing documents they need, right?
It’s not clear exactly what she stuffed into envelopes, so it’s hard to answer the question.
If there was a 1040X with insufficient attachments, then yes, the IRS will contact you for additional information.
However, if she stuffed a 1040 without the 1040X, the IRS may be confused about your intent. Perhaps you’ll get a letter saying that one of the taxpayers claimed on the return (i.e. you) has already been claimed on another return and that you’ll need to file an amendment, or pay $x additional in tax (as calculated by the IRS after excluding you from the return).
If she stuffed random things into an envelope, I also wonder whether everything was properly signed, since an unsigned return won’t be processed.
Apparently she sent the 1040 and 1040X to the IRS and the 502 and 502X to the Comptroller of Maryland, to the addresses provided by TurboTax (I had already addressed the envelopes and put in the appropriate W-2s).
What was not done was write “AMENDED” on the 1040/502 and include a copy of the Federal forms with the Maryland return. I assume they’ll just ask me for that at some point in the future?
Writing “amended” on the forms is not that big a deal. They will probably figure it out. It’s just a good precaution in case forms become separated or someone gets confused.
Maryland, however, seems quite insistent about wanting a copy of your amended federal form. Sometimes they make do without all that they ask for. The worst that will happen is that they will send you a letter demanding the other forms. All you can do is sit and wait.
Make sure you keep them informed if you change your address.