Newsletter – March 2013
Amended Tax Returns
If you make a mistake or an error on your tax return you may amend the return. Any type of mistake may be corrected as long as it corrected within a certain time frame.
Normal three years statute of limitation
For the majority of amended tax returns you can go back up to three years to correct a tax return. The actual date of when the statute starts is earlier of when the tax return was filed or the due date of the tax return (not including extensions). For example, if you filed your 2009 income tax return on March 1st 2010 you would have until March 1st, 2013 to go back and make any corrections to your 2009 tax return. However, if you extended your tax return and filed your tax return on July 15th, 2010 you would have until April 15th 2013 to amend the tax return and make any corrections.
Exception to the statute of limitation
There is one major exception to the statute of limitation. The exception involves the writing off of worthless stock. When you own stock and either through bankruptcy or liquidation of the corporation it becomes apparent that the stock has zero value you may deduct the loss of the stock based on what you paid for the stock. In this situation you may go back up to seven years to amend the tax return. Again the statute starts on the earlier of the filing of the tax return or the tax return due date (not including extensions).
When filing an amended tax return the form that you use is the form 1040-X. This form is used when filing any type of amended tax return. In addition, you will attach any other forms that will need correction.