Flashback Friday: Avoiding Common E-File Errors

It’s Flashback Friday! A new feature in the Neighborhood Tax Centers blog for 2012. Every week we’ll share some tax tips from years past. Oldies but goodies in our book!

 

Electronic filing is convenient and gets taxpayers their refunds quickly. However, e-files can be rejected due to several common errors.

It may sound simple but they're quite common errors that lead to big headaches!

Make sure you have correct names and social security numbers or ITINs for everyone who will be listed on the tax return. It may also help to bring copies of your previous tax returns. If you have multiple last names (like Martinez Valdez), you might have used only one name on your taxes. If you have recently gotten married or divorced, make sure you have changed your name with the Social Security Administration. If you have not, you’ll need to file your taxes with the old name until the change is made.

Make sure you have correct birth dates for everyone on the tax return. Having an incorrect birth date, especially for a child, can cause you to miss out on valuable credits, or cause you to claim credits you are not entitled to (which will have to be paid back).

If you have children and are divorced, separated, never married, or live with parents or grandparents, determine who should claim the children before you go to file your taxes. Generally, if the child lives with you and you provide over half his or her financial support, you are entitled to claim that child. Special rules can apply in divorces. Our intake specialists and tax center managers can help you determine who should be claimed. If your tax return is electronically rejected because someone has claimed him or her, you will have to mail your return to the IRS so that a person, not a computer, may review it.

Happy Filing!

Avoiding Common E-File Errors

Electronic filing is convenient and gets taxpayers their refunds quickly. However, e-files can be rejected due to several common errors.

It may sound simple but they're quite common errors that lead to big headaches!

Make sure you have correct names and social security numbers or ITINs for everyone who will be listed on the tax return. It may also help to bring copies of your previous tax returns. If you have multiple last names (like Martinez Valdez), you might have used only one name on your taxes. If you have recently gotten married or divorced, make sure you have changed your name with the Social Security Administration. If you have not, you’ll need to file your taxes with the old name until the change is made.

Make sure you have correct birth dates for everyone on the tax return. Having an incorrect birth date, especially for a child, can cause you to miss out on valuable credits, or cause you to claim credits you are not entitled to (which will have to be paid back).

If you have children and are divorced, separated, never married, or live with parents or grandparents, determine who should claim the children before you go to file your taxes. Generally, if the child lives with you and you provide over half his or her financial support, you are entitled to claim that child. Special rules can apply in divorces. Our intake specialists and tax center managers can help you determine who should be claimed. If your tax return is electronically rejected because someone has claimed him or her, you will have to mail your return to the IRS so that a person, not a computer, may review it.

Happy Filing!