Wrong Social Security Number Entered On Tax Return.. What Happens Now?

[MickeyEars]

Hi!
I e-filed our federal and state tax returns on Jan. 30 and today while checking on the status I realized one number in my social security number was wrong.
My returns are currently "awaiting acceptance" because they include Form 8863 (education credits).
My question is what happens now? Will my returns be rejected? Will the IRS correct the mistake?
I have no experience with this as thankfully I've never made a mistake on our returns previously.
Any help would be so appreciated!!!

Thanks!
Carla

 

[manning]

I did this once. Didn't pay attention. It was a joint return. IRS noted the mistake and informed us it was corrected. I assumed they used the other person's SSN to be able to identify my correct SSN.

 

[minushka72]

We did this once. It was my son's and we reversed 2 digits. We had to wait until we rcvd a letter from the IRS and then had to call with the case #. I was able to get it fixed over the phone but it delayed our return by about 1 month since we were required to wait for the letter. The phone call was approximately 45 minutes since they put me on hold for quite a while to re-enter the return but then I had the refund within 1 week of the call. It just takes a long time to get the letter.
Funny thing is, it was also wrong on the state return but they put that through anyway with no delays!

 

[MickeyEars]

I did this once. Didn't pay attention. It was a joint return. IRS noted the mistake and informed us it was corrected. I assumed they used the other person's SSN to be able to identify my correct SSN.

Mine is also a joint return so I sure hope they just correct ours.

Thanks for your reply!!

Carla

 

[MickeyEars]

We did this once. It was my son's and we reversed 2 digits. We had to wait until we rcvd a letter from the IRS and then had to call with the case #. I was able to get it fixed over the phone but it delayed our return by about 1 month since we were required to wait for the letter. The phone call was approximately 45 minutes since they put me on hold for quite a while to re-enter the return but then I had the refund within 1 week of the call. It just takes a long time to get the letter.
Funny thing is, it was also wrong on the state return but they put that through anyway with no delays!

I was hoping to just get a rejection and be able to return to TaxAct and correct and resend it.
I don't want to have to wait for a letter.
We've already been delayed for the Education Credits don't need anything else.

Thanks for your reply!

Carla

 

[davedmaine]

Here's what you need to do: Complete IRS Form 1040X, explaining that you are correcting the SSN on the return you filed previously. Your amended return must be a paper return -- you cannot e-file a Form 1040X.

 

[marius97]

Here's what you need to do: Complete IRS Form 1040X, explaining that you are correcting the SSN on the return you filed previously. Your amended return must be a paper return -- you cannot e-file a Form 1040X.

But I don't think that you can do an amended until your original has been filed which hers won't be until March. It sounds like from other people's experiences that there is a process for this.

 

[BelleBeautyandtheBeast]

You do not want to do an 1040X, they can take months to process.

Typically the IRS will contact you when the error is discovered or just flat out reject your return.

 

[sskem96]

Someone evidently did that last year and accidentally entered my ssn in place of their own. They got their return in first, so mine got rejected because the IRS thought I had already filed. The other person filed as head of household and owed money, I filed joint with my husband and we didn't get our refund til May (filed early Feb). I had to call and tell them, wait for them to send me a letter, fill it out and resend paper return, and call a couple more times to check on it before we finally got our check. This year they sent me a special number to use on my return in place of my ssn because it was flagged as fraud. I'm sure it wasn't really fraud since the other person was paying in and not trying to get my return, but it sure was a huge hassle. Hopefully things go smoother this year with the new #.

 

[ctjsowens]

Tax preparer here. Dont do anything until it rejects. It'll reject when form 8863 is ready apx mid to late Feb. When it rejects just simply go in and correct the number and resend. Whatever you do dont attempt an amended return. Just let it reject and you should be contacted when it does reject.

 

[MickeyEars]

Tax preparer here. Dont do anything until it rejects. It'll reject when form 8863 is ready apx mid to late Feb. When it rejects just simply go in and correct the number and resend. Whatever you do dont attempt an amended return. Just let it reject and you should be contacted when it does reject.

Thanks so much, this sounds much more reasonable. I will not attempt an amended return.
I will simly wait to be "rejected" as bad as I hate to!!!

Thanks everyone for your help!!

 

[wiigirl]

This happened to us too....we just got a letter to correct the issue.

 

[MickeyEars]

This happened to us too....we just got a letter to correct the issue.

Did you just go back into your return, correct it and resend it? Please let me know what all it involved.

Thanks!
Carla

 

[elgerber]

Did you just go back into your return, correct it and resend it? Please let me know what all it involved.

Thanks!
Carla

I did this once many many years ago, as others have said, they just sent me a letter stating they corrected it. I didn't do anything.

 

[MickeyEars]

I did this once many many years ago, as others have said, they just sent me a letter stating they corrected it. I didn't do anything.

I sure hope they just correct mine!!!

Carla

 

[cheer25mom]

I don't think they will just correct them any more. We had this happen year before last nad they rejected the return. When we called they said with the increase in identity theft they were not fixing errors like this. Apparenty what happened with the PP where her number had already been used is becoming a popular method of fraud. People file under bogus numbers, or claim others as dependents to get back more than they should.

 

[davedmaine]

You do not want to do an 1040X, they can take months to process.

Typically the IRS will contact you when the error is discovered or just flat out reject your return.

That is wrong information. Do the 1040x.

 

[ctjsowens]

That is wrong information. Do the 1040x.

Dont do a 1040 x because the IRS hasnt received the return yet to do a 1040x for. Its holding because the IRS isnt ready to receive the form 8863. I do this everyday so just wait and let it reject at the end of Feb or sooner when form 8863 is ready and make the correction there. There is nothing you can do at this point.

 

[garnetandblack]

When I changed my last name I didn't change it with SS. When we filed our taxes I used my married name. We efiled and the IRS rejected our return because the SS# didn't match the name. It only took a few days for it to be rejected and I just had to change my name back to my married name in Turbo Tax and resubmit it. It was easy.

 

[deserrai]

Dont do a 1040 x because the IRS hasnt received the return yet to do a 1040x for. Its holding because the IRS isnt ready to receive the form 8863. I do this everyday so just wait and let it reject at the end of Feb or sooner when form 8863 is ready and make the correction there. There is nothing you can do at this point.

I am a CPA and I agree with this. You must wait for the return to reject. Then you just correct and resubmit. Do NOT file an amended return. You have not "filed" an initial return yet because your return has not been accepted by the IRS; therefore there is nothing to amend.