Amended and Prior Year Returns

Time Requirement: 15 minutes

Purpose

Review how to amend a current year tax return, and provide guidance on preparing prior year returns.

Objectives

• Identify when it is appropriate to prepare an amended return, Form 1040X
• Determine the time limits for filing Form 1040X
• Understand how to assemble and submit Form 1040X
• Provide guidance when preparing prior year returns
• Identify when it is appropriate to file a prior year return

Teaching the Lesson

Refer to the Lesson Plan for helpful instructor notes, visual aids, TaxSlayer® demos, and Internet links. Prompt students to share what they know about amended returns.

• For what reasons might a return need to be amended?
• In what situations would an amended return not be required?
• What are time limits for filing an amended return?

Refer students who may want to work independently to Publication 4491, Amended and Prior Year Returns.

Key References

This lesson will refer to the following publications and forms:

• Publication 4012, Other Returns tab
• Publication 17, Chapter 2, Filing Information
• Form 13614-C, Intake/Interview and Quality Review Sheet
• Form 1040X
• Form 1040X Instructions

All references to materials can be found by clicking the Job Aids and Media buttons. There are also links to helpful tools that can be found on the irs.gov public portal. For this lesson, students can link to the following sites for additional help:

• FAQs - Amended Returns & Form 1040X
• Tax Topic - Amended Returns

TaxSlayer® Demos and Tutorials

It is recommended to go to the Practice Lab and access the latest TaxSlayer tutorial for this lesson. The TaxSlayer tutorials can be found by going to the Practice Lab and clicking on the link for TaxSlayer IRS training.

Publication 4012, Other Returns tab, includes steps on how to amend a return in TaxSlayer.