OT: US Federal tax question (a bit long, but HELP!)

Depends on whether or not you're nominated for Secretary of the Treasury. Sounds like an honest mistake to me. Polly

Anastasia

--who is de-stressing via "Fairy Dance" and "Mairi's Wedding", neither of which is being played very well right now.

"Polly Esther" wrote

...or your last name is Daschle. I am no tax 'no it all' but a simple amendment should do the trick. COngrats for all your hard work through school. That is a wonderful accomplishment as long as your degree wasn't involved in accounting there! Taria

Polly Esther wrote:

I would find an accountant who could help unravel all the IRS stuff. Notice my total lack of vocabulary on this subject. Taxes scare me. I just figure the IRS is like Vegas: the house always wins

Sunny

one year, dont ask which cuz i forget now, i sent in a provisional tax return with my provisional tax $ cheque included. i had 3 years (ending april 15th on the third year) to send in the proper one and still be able to claim any refund if i'd sent too much. i was pretty sure i had sent too much as i didnt want to have to worry i'd be short. i upped the amount i figured it would be cuz i really had no idea how to do taxes. just followed the tax form as best i could til i could get over there to get them done. i'd say you've nothing to worry about. i think if you call the IRS and ask they'd tell you the same thing. maybe calling H & R Block with a simple question you could also get a quick answer to ease your mind. i think your more than ok on the amendment that is only one year back. i now have 3 yrs of returns to do and i probably have to fly over there to get them done. i really am sick of flying back just for that. a days travel to get there for a few hours then another days travel to get back home. there has to be a better way. sigh... j.

"Anastasia Luettecke" wrote... Hey, all! I've been lurking for awhile, since teaching takes up an inordinate amount of time and what little free time I have has been spent learning to play the harp, my favorite instrument. I always pop in every few days to see what's going on, though, and laugh with Polly, Leslie, and the rest of you all. It's so nice to peek in and find friendly folks.

So here's my dilemma: I finished grad school in May of 2008 with my degree. That means I paid tuition to a qualifying educational institution in 2008 and can claim the lifetime learning credit. That school did, in fact, send me a 1098-T form declaring a certain amount was paid. I used the amount listed on that form to do my federal taxes, which I mailed last Monday.

NOW, however, the school has sent an email telling us that the 1098-T they sent was wrong, and that they had mistakenly already put that 2008 amount on our 2007 1098-T forms, so we already declared it as a deduction last year.

I know I have to file an amended return. But how long do I have? The IRS website says three years, two years, or until April 15, but the forms all seem to discuss amending the 2007 return.

I've never lied on my taxes and have prided myself on doing them without having to call in a tax professional. But this fiasco has shaken me up. I'm furious at the school for causing me to lose out on the refund amount I had originally figured (and budgeted for).

Sorry for bringing this decidedly boring topic to the quilting frame, but I'm at a loss and you all are always so helpful, I figured I'd try here first!

Anastasia

--who could spit nails at the University of Missouri at St. Louis right now.

Ring the tax office and ask them. It's a plain and honest error, and one you didn not make. I bet there's a helpline number for sorting out just this sort of thing.

On Mon, 9 Feb 2009 20:12:53 -0600, Anastasia Luettecke wrote (in article ):

To be safe, I'd probably do it sooner rather than later. But this may be a situation where you want to talk to accountant or other tax expert.

Maureen

Just go to the nearest tax office----you probably could ask someone at the school or city government where it is--and go there to get someone to help you in just a few minutes. Be sure to take your copy of you 2008 AND 2007 taxes with you. That way, you know things are correct. If it were me, I would go within the next 4 or 5 months, or after the April 15th rush, but yes, you have a couple of years to do it. Go early in the morning so you won't have to wait in line so long. When you go in the door they have one of those "take a number" and wait things. For them, this isn't a big deal. Also, there are volunteers at the local library to help you---they are there to help low income and retired people--- but they probably won't have the ammended form and you will need to take 2 of them, one for each year. Barbara in FL who used to work with the Block people

Anastasia - I'm no expert by any means but have been doing our taxes for many moons now - some not very easy. You can download the 1040 admendment form from the IRS site, make the corrections and be on your way. I would do it sooner rather than later. Depending on your income for last year, the refund you may get from last year's amended return may offset the up-charge you have on this year's return - ya just never know. Or, you could just wait. When the IRS gets the revised 1098 amount, they will re-calculate your taxes for the current year. They may/may not re-calculate for last year. I'd just do the amended return and call it a day.

I'm a little less generous than Sunny in my opinion of the IRS - instead of likening them to Las Vegas, I refer to them as their own Gestapo. The only rules/laws they need to follow are their own. I have a very healthy fear of them. But I've made plenty of mistakes with ours over the years (from simple arithmetic errors to not putting amounts in the correct spots - cuz as somone else said - you get different answers from different people even at the IRS) and as long as you pay them what they say you owe - no big deal.

Good luck!

Kim in NJ waiting not very patiently for DH's family business taxes to be completed so I can do our personal taxes!

If you underpaid your taxes last year as a result of the error, you may have to pay a penalty in addition to the additional taxes. The longer you wait to file the amended return, the bigger the penalty you will pay. It's best to get it done as quickly as is reasonable, if for no other reason than to get it out of your mind.

Julia > Just go to the nearest tax office----you probably could ask someone at the

My favorite IRS story is about the year (2005, I believe) where they didn't publish the booklet about the non-resident alien taxes until _after_ the deadline for filing. I thought that was really kind of them. My taxes were simple, I was overseas with no access to an office to go ask anyone, I knew I could do it with the booklet and the form, but no booklet. Eventually, someone gave me the numbers (deductions etc) and told me to otherwise use the booklet from the previous year (which I still had).

I'd second the people who said go to the tax office to ask. I did that once (for a "sailing permit", no less!) and everything was very smooth.

Hanne

AuntK wrote:

Anastasia, sorry, i cant be any use to you...i've got people....H & R Block...i would ask them.. amy in CNY

Can't answer your question, but I do think that ALL affected students should DEMAND an official letter of explanation, (a mea culpa as it were) written on official stationary, hand signed by the appropriate university official, and notarized. If the school refuses, take up the matter with your state delegates or state senators, or even the Governor.

This letter could then be used as evidence that the student is not to blame for this mix-up. Would this be an inconvenience for the school? Sure, but all businesses, institutions, and individuals need to own up to their mistakes. Good luck. PAT

So, it was smooth sailing after that, eh Hanne? PAT

No-one ever asked to see my sailing permit, and really, how could anyone at the airport when leaving tell the difference between going overseas for holiday and moving out of the US?

Technically, non-US citizens who are liable for tax-returns in the US need a sailing permit _every_ time they leave the country. I was never once asked for one. Probably no-one employed at any airport knows this anyway.

And I left by plane :-)

Hanne

Pat > So, it was smooth sailing after that, eh Hanne?

sailing permit???? they dont have a form for non resident citizens there tho. argh. j.

"Hanne Gottliebsen" wrote... No-one ever asked to see my sailing permit, and really, how could anyone at the airport when leaving tell the difference between going overseas for holiday and moving out of the US?

Technically, non-US citizens who are liable for tax-returns in the US need a sailing permit _every_ time they leave the country. I was never once asked for one. Probably no-one employed at any airport knows this anyway.

And I left by plane :-)

Hanne

it starts at the top but even they dont do it til they are caught out. shrug, j.

"Pat > Hey, all! I've been lurking for awhile, since teaching takes up an

For information about sailing permits, see

Hanne

jeanne-nzlstar* wrote: