Efile or not?

[Kram BergGold]

My client's ex spouse claimed their son. Then they decided my client should claim him so the spouse filed an amended return. When I efiled his return in late April (on extension) it was rejected because the amended return had not yet been processed. Should I wait a few weeks before trying to efile it again or is this hopeless and I should just paper file and deal with the letter that will come telling my client not to claim the child when someone else has already done so?

[taxea]

it must be manually filed because the IRS doesn't have any way to back out the SSN for the child in the computer. His SSN will remain as used and the corrections are made through other means with manual filing.

PS this question was answered recently

[JG EA]

Also, I would add that even if the amended return were not done, your client should file the return the correct way and mail it in. I've had cases where my client should definitely claim their child, the ex did also, but my client would win if the IRS challenged. Thre was no problem for my client.

[Black Bart]

My client's ex spouse claimed their son. Then they decided my client should claim him so the spouse filed an amended return. When I efiled his return in late April (on extension) it was rejected because the amended return had not yet been processed. Should I wait a few weeks before trying to efile it again or is this hopeless and I should just paper file and deal with the letter that will come telling my client not to claim the child when someone else has already done so?

Well, since you've got to wait several weeks either way for the 1040X to get processed, I think I'd just give the efile a shot afterwards anyway. The worst that can happen is you hit "send" and it gets rejected again; if not you've saved the paperwork and dealing with the client again.

This is not to say that taxea's source about the IRS protocol on this is wrong -- she sounds like she's more efilingly knowledgeable than I, but I've had numerous IRS reps tell me I can't do something and then talk to another who has no problem at all with it (you just have to call and talk to them about these things). As to the anticipated letter I don't see any need to respond -- if the amended return goes through then the letter's moot.

[JohnH]

I think it's always a good idea to call IRS and get another opinion when I don't like what the first person told me. After all, clients do it with us all the time - why can't we do the same thing with the IRS?

[joanmcq]

Bart's wrong (and an efile newbie). Just paper file and be done with it. Processing the amendment has nothing to do with efile. The paper return will go through fine.

[taxea]

Well, since you've got to wait several weeks either way for the 1040X to get processed, I think I'd just give the efile a shot afterwards anyway. The worst that can happen is you hit "send" and it gets rejected again; if not you've saved the paperwork and dealing with the client again.

This is not to say that taxea's source about the IRS protocol on this is wrong -- she sounds like she's more efilingly knowledgeable than I, but I've had numerous IRS reps tell me I can't do something and then talk to another who has no problem at all with it (you just have to call and talk to them about these things). As to the anticipated letter I don't see any need to respond -- if the amended return goes through then the letter's moot.

reread my post....it is going to reject no matter how long you wait to efile it.

[Black Bart]

Sendin' me back to primer school...

Well, since you've got to wait several weeks either way for the 1040X to get processed, I think I'd just give the efile a shot afterwards anyway. The worst that can happen is you hit "send" and it gets rejected again; if not you've saved the paperwork and dealing with the client again.

This is not to say that taxea's source about the IRS protocol on this is wrong -- she sounds like she's more efilingly knowledgeable than I, but I've had numerous IRS reps tell me I can't do something and then talk to another who has no problem at all with it (you just have to call and talk to them about these things). As to the anticipated letter I don't see any need to respond -- if the amended return goes through then the letter's moot.

reread my post....it is going to reject no matter how long you wait to efile it.

Thanks, but I've already read it -- I just think there's a possibility that it may NOT reject after the 1040X gets posted. I've known IRS to be inconsistent about lots of things. Cut me a little slack, tea -- I gave you credit for bein' smart (after all, you know enough to live in paradise and look where I'm at ).

[Black Bart]

Drat! Reprimanded again.

Bart's wrong...

Aww, is that nice? I know I have been, may be now, and will be again, but still....isn't there just a teenie-weenie, little-bitty chance it might/could go through? Say "maybe" and I promise to go along peaceably next time you want to tar and feather corporate slackers, me included .

...(and an efile newbie)...

Now, now -- like taxea says, you gotta re-read my posts. I never said I don't efile (EF since 2000) -- I said I don't like to efile. I've haven't had a similar case but....since there's no rush, what's the harm in giving efile a second shot? I find you can scrounge lotsa scraps of knowledge about what's possible by just doin' the opposite of what the Boogerman tells you to.

[Lion]

Only Once

Only one return per SSN is going to post on IRS's e-filing system. The amended return will post in the IRS computer system for accepted returns but never pass through e-filing. Think about it -- the amendment is paper-filed and not e-filed so changes nothing in the e-filing system. You will have no better luck trying to e-file a return again than you had the first time. (Unless you file without that SSN and later paper-file an amendment, but if you're going to all that trouble just paper-file the return in the first place.)

[Black Bart]

I yield.

Only one return per SSN is going to post on IRS's e-filing system. The amended return will post in the IRS computer system for accepted returns but never pass through e-filing. Think about it -- the amendment is paper-filed and not e-filed so changes nothing in the e-filing system. You will have no better luck trying to e-file a return again than you had the first time. (Unless you file without that SSN and later paper-file an amendment, but if you're going to all that trouble just paper-file the return in the first place.)

Okay, what you're sayin' makes sense. And I think you're saying that once a return's been accepted, then that's that for efile -- they will not change it. And it follows that's the reason we can't efile a 1040X -- they won't handle a return twice. I was thinking about how I had changed some dependents' names/numbers/etc. with efile, but that was before the return had been accepted (IRS had rejected it and asked for corrections).

Note to KB: Please strike my previous testimony; disregard its content and give no weight to its import.

Gosh, is it just me or is gettin' quite chilly around here? I get the distinct feeling there's a touch of hostility and very low tolerance for non-conformist, non-dogma heresy (AKA "hogwash") in this neighborhood lately. Of course it could be 'cause I was simply wrong but still...there's a definite crispness in the air of late.

[Lion]

Warmth

Aw Bart, here's some warm thoughts sent your way. In fact, take today's humidity with the heat, and our rain, too!

We just thought we had to hammer harder to get through your hard head. We didn't mean to imply that we don't like your hard head. We like you just the way you are.

[Gary2]

Only one return per SSN is going to post on IRS's e-filing system. The amended return will post in the IRS computer system for accepted returns but never pass through e-filing. Think about it -- the amendment is paper-filed and not e-filed so changes nothing in the e-filing system. You will have no better luck trying to e-file a return again than you had the first time. (Unless you file without that SSN and later paper-file an amendment, but if you're going to all that trouble just paper-file the return in the first place.)

Does this mean that if person A mails a paper return, say on January 5 (before e-file is up), claiming a dependent, and person B e-files much later, say August 1, claiming the same dependent, then B's return will be accepted for e-filing, with a followup much later concerning the duplicate dependent?

In other words, the e-file acceptance checks never check for duplicate SSNs that weren't through the e-file system?

[taxea]

Well, since you've got to wait several weeks either way for the 1040X to get processed, I think I'd just give the efile a shot afterwards anyway. The worst that can happen is you hit "send" and it gets rejected again; if not you've saved the paperwork and dealing with the client again.

This is not to say that taxea's source about the IRS protocol on this is wrong -- she sounds like she's more efilingly knowledgeable than I, but I've had numerous IRS reps tell me I can't do something and then talk to another who has no problem at all with it (you just have to call and talk to them about these things). As to the anticipated letter I don't see any need to respond -- if the amended return goes through then the letter's moot.

BB Just so you know... I got the info directly from the Efile/E-Serv division so I trust its accuarcy

[taxea]

Thanks, but I've already read it -- I just think there's a possibility that it may NOT reject after the 1040X gets posted. I've known IRS to be inconsistent about lots of things. Cut me a little slack, tea -- I gave you credit for bein' smart (after all, you know enough to live in paradise and look where I'm at ).

Just wanted you to know that I dug deeeeeeep into the bowels of the IRS for the answer...didn't just talk to the usual "suspects" that we all deal with day to day...