Client just called and said " I think I gave you a wrong SS # for my wife" I checked and sure enough the number is wrong. Should I wait until I hear from IRS or try correct it now.
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We recently purchased a client base from a practitioner that had been ill for several years. In preparing and efiling the tax returns this year we discovered several instances of the social security number being wrong and these were for the primary, not the spouse.
The prior practitioner had been paper filing, not efiling, and did not believe in computers so the returns had all been done by hand. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, in the files to indicate that the Service ever questioned these wrong social security numbers. And when I brought this information to the client, they were unaware that the returns had been filed without their correct ssn.
I don't know what the proper method would be to correct your ssn issue but this issue might never be questioned. I would just correct the ssn in my files and make sure that the number is correct next year.
hth,
Maribeth -
Wrong SSN
File an amended return, for informational purposes, correcting the wife's SSN. The mills of the IRS grind slowly - but exceedingly fine.Comment
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social security number
Was the client scheduled to receive a refund and did they get it? If they are due money that hasn't come in, I would take action. If not, then correct for next year. On my own tax return, I entered my new baby's social security number wrong. (She is 14 now.) The IRS sent a letter that it did not match and it had to be corrected before the return was processed. I thought the IRS did a match on all SSN's.
Obviously with e-file, if the name and social don't match, it will kick out. I have some folks who have never changed their names with social security administration and I don't efile for that reason for them. I have another client that has been married for 15 years, and I still use her maiden name on the return so that it matches the social.Comment
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ssn
I repeat: file an informational 1040X correcting the SSN.Comment
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I just got one where it was filed with an exemption for grandchild with 'unknown' as the SSN. Paper filed; I have no idea how it went through.Comment
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SSNs and e-files
I've encountered many clients with a last name that initially causes e-filing problems. These can include newlyweds, divorced folks, "professional" names, Hispanic names, legal name changes, and so on. It is a simple matter to correct the name on the tax return to that which is actually shown on the Social Security records, and then refile.Originally posted by winnie View Post
(Someone more knowledgeable than myself can comment on whether there is a potential problem in not notifying the Social Security folks of a name change.)
I was somewhat taken aback that the IRS apparently does not "catch" erroneous SSNs. In line with the original scope of this thread, I would certainly be sure that returns which I prepare have the correct info, and probably would strongly consider some notification to the IRS of prior return problems.
If the client had any Sch C or similar income, such corrections could be VERY important down the road once a Sch SE was filed!
FEComment
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Social Security Statements
I believe one step in the correction process should be to ask the taxpayer if he has been receiving statements from the social security administration showing what his social security base and payments have been over the last years.
If W-2s have been properly entered by the employers, this statement will still be correct, even though the tax return has the wrong number. If any of the social security base depends upon self-employment income and SE tax, this could very well be messed up.
Remember, many times a tax preparer will enter a SS# on a tax return because he is taking the number from the W-2s.
My statement goes back to the late 60s. I believe these statements are intended to embrace the lifetime "account" activity.Comment
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Wrong SS#
Had one back in the mid 80's. He came in to my office one day and said that he was planning on retiring and start drawing Soc. Sec. I had been doing his tax return for about 5 yrs. at that time. I asked him if he had checked with the S S Office to see what kind of
benefits he would receive. Said no, but he would do that.
About 3 weeks later he came back in to the office and said that the Soc. Sec. Office has no record of any payments being received by the S S Admin. on him.
He then stated that when he got out of the military about 20 years previously, he memorized his S S #, INCORRECTLY, and had been using the incorrect no. ever since.
Also, that was the last time that he came into my office or spoke to me. Have not heard from him since.Comment
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Wrong Social Security Number
Aside from the income tax filing problem-I would get the client to go to the Social Security Administration to get his earnings records straight for as far back as he could.
If the wrong number was used in filing the return, then it's possible all the W-2s for all these years were wrong -and his earnings record doesn't reflect what it should.
I believe that's more important at this point than the income tax mixup.Uncle Sam, CPA, EA. ARA, NTPI FellowComment
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There was probably no excuse for a wrong SS# this year as the 2005 return was filed with a wrong SS#. Received a letter from IRS notifying of the mistake. Had client go to local IRS office and get it corrected. This year husband brought all the information written down and I simply took the information given to me. The wife is self employed so there was no W2.
Thanks for your input. I will have them file an amended return.Comment
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