# Tax return "do-overs"?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-return-do-overs/346932>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 3, 2006, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-return-do-overs/346932 "2006-03-03T18:10:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![sciguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@sciguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciguy)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2006, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-return-do-overs/346932/1 "2006-03-03T18:10:15Z")

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If I discovered (and I think I have) that I made an error on my 2000 taxes causing me to pay more than I should’ve, how long before I cannot get it fixed?

And how best to re-do a prior year’s taxes? Can I just go into an H&R Block and ask “could you fix my (potentially) $3000 error from five years ago?”

Basically, back then I sold some stock obtained through an employee stock purchase plan and made a large profit: stock went from $15 per share (the grant price) to over $90 per share (where I sold). And based on information learned this year (I exercised some stock options last fall), I think I paid taxes on that ESPP sale twice.

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**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2006, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-return-do-overs/346932/2 "2006-03-03T18:24:36Z")

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It may be too late.

As a general rule, you have 3 years to amend your return.

[http://www.turbotax.com/articles/Amending\_Your\_Tax\_Return.html](http://www.turbotax.com/articles/Amending_Your_Tax_Return.html)  
[http://www.bankrate.com/brm/itax/Edit/tax\_season/stories/041900.asp](http://www.bankrate.com/brm/itax/Edit/tax_season/stories/041900.asp)