Tax FAQ's

Is there an age limit on claiming my child as a dependent?

Answer:

To claim your child as your dependent, your child must meet either the qualifying child test or the qualifying relative test:

• To meet the qualifying child test, your child must be younger than you and either younger than 19 years old or be a "student" younger than 24 years old as of the end of the calendar year.

• There's no age limit if your child is "permanently and totally disabled" or meets the qualifying relative test.

In addition to meeting the qualifying child or qualifying relative test, you can claim that person as a dependent only if these three tests are met:

1. Dependent taxpayer test

2. Citizen or resident test, and

3. Joint return test

Additional Information:

• Whom May I Claim as a Dependent?

• Publication 501, Dependents, Standard Deduction and Filing Information

I received an incorrect Form W-2.  My former employer won't issue me a corrected W-2, what should I do?

Answer:

If by the end of February, your Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement has not been corrected by your employer after you attempted to have your employer or payer issue a corrected form, you can request that an IRS representative initiate a Form W-2 complaint. Call the IRS toll free at 800-829-1040 or make an appointment to visit an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC). 

• The IRS will send your employer a letter requesting that they furnish you a corrected Form W-2 within ten days.

• The IRS will send you a letter with instructions and Form 4852, Substitute for Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, or Form 1099-R, Distributions from Pensions, Annuities, Retirement or Profit-Sharing Plans, IRAs, Insurance Contracts, etc. You can use the Form 4852 in the event that your employer doesn't provide you with the corrected Form W-2 in time to file your tax return.

Depending on the time of year, the IRS may have federal wage information in the form of a wage transcript. See Topic 159 for more information on how to get a transcript of W-2 information.

When you call the IRS or visit a TAC office, please have the following information available:

• Your employer's or payer's name and complete address including ZIP code, employer identification number if known (see your prior year's Form W-2 if you worked for the same employer), phone number, and

• Your name, address including ZIP code, social security number, phone number, and dates of employment.

If you file your return and attach Form 4852, you’ll need to estimate the wages you earned, taxes withheld, and the period for which you did not receive or received an incorrect Form W-2. You should base the estimate on year-to-date information from your final pay stub, if possible. When filing a Form 4852 instead of a Form W-2, there may be delays processing your refund while we verify the information you gave us.

To help protect your social security benefits, keep a copy of Form 4852 until you begin receiving social security benefits, just in case there's a question about your work record and/or earnings in a particular year. After September 30 following the date shown on Form 4852 line 4, use a my Social Security online account or contact your local SSA office to verify wages reported by your employer.

If you receive a corrected Form W-2 after you filed your return with Form 4852, and the information differs from the information reported on your return, you must amend your return by filing Form 1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return.

May I claim the child tax credit for a child who has an ITN rather than SSN?

Answer:

No, you may not claim the child tax credit for a child with an ITIN. The child must have an SSN to be a qualifying child eligible for the child tax credit (CTC), additional child tax credit (ACTC), refundable child tax credit (RCTC) or the nonrefundable child tax credit (NCTC).

• To be a qualifying child for the CTC, ACTC, RCTC or the NCTC, the child must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national or U.S. resident alien, and must not have attained age 18 by the end of the tax year.

Can I file an amended Form 1040X- electronically?

Answer:

You can now submit the Form 1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return electronically; however, only tax year 2019 and 2020 Forms 1040 and 1040-SR returns that were originally e-filed can be amended electronically. You still have the option to submit a paper version of Form 1040-X, discuss with your preparer.  Changes in filing status, ITIN additions can not be amended electronically.