PhotoJunkie Posted April 25, 2016 Share Posted April 25, 2016 I have an accountant. We have used this guy for 12+ years. He has been super awesome with me since the death of my husband and until this year, I have had no issues. This year when I went to file taxes, I checked with my sister first. The deal was that she could claim my daughter since they had her the better part of the year and until November had been getting the social security payout. She said they wanted to claim her. So when I sent in my paperwork to my tax guy, I wrote a note explaining that I would not be claiming my daughter this year and explained the circumstances. I did not send in any social security paperwork as I didn't have any. Oddly enough, him and I got into a bit of a tiff over the healthcare stuff. It was an odd interaction but left me feeling stupid and frustrated, especially since the employers involved also treated me horribly in regards to this issue. Anyway taxes filed, I got a nice little return that I was not expecting in the least. Life is good right?? Nope. Got a text from my sister panicked because her tax refund is frozen by the IRS because my daughters number was already used. She is freaking out and going a bit crazy. I told her to hold on and let me contact my accountant and see what the deal is. She's talking investigations need to be started, my daughters ID has been stolen so I need to pull credit reports, etc etc. I emailed him and I am waiting a response. I just got the forms in the mail the other day so I started looking at them, not that I understand anything they have to say, but it looks like he did claim my daughter as a dependent despite my telling him not to. So now Im freaking out a little on the inside. This screws up my tax return which I really could use. Im sure this will also put me back on the bad list where my sister is concerned, although that doesn't take much doing. Has anyone had this happen?? Is there an easy fix? Due to the time difference If I don't hear back from him tonight, I will call in the morning but damn. I do not need the IRS poking into my stuff right now. I don't have anything to hide but Im barely functioning and this will add a layer of stress that I just absolutely cannot handle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoVerySad Posted April 25, 2016 Share Posted April 25, 2016 PJ, Did you pay for any expenses for your daughter last year? It sounds like you had your sister receiving the SS Survivor's check for her, but did you pay for any expenses for your daughter? I'm thinking I remember your sister asking you to pay for things for your daughter at one point, even though she was receiving the SS $. If I understand correctly, your sister can only claim your daughter as a dependent if she can show that your daughter's SS check did not cover at least half the expenses she paid for her for the year. This is from TurboTax from the qualifications to claim a child as a dependent: The child must not have provided more than half of his or her support for the year. So as a simple example, if your daughter received $1000 in SS income for the year, your sister would have to have be able to prove she paid over $1000 for her care from her (your sister's) own funds to be able to claim her. Here is more info from TurboTax: https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1894472-who-is-a-dependent It is a potentially complicated issue if you were paying for things for your daughter in addition to the SS check your sister received and she was not paying for things in addition to the SS check in amount double to the check. I think I have that correct, but frankly my head is a mess right now, so I may not have described it correctly. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable can add to this. I'm guessing that you need to figure out exactly who can claim her and then either you or your sister or perhaps both of you may need to file amended returns. I'm sorry, as I know your sister can be pretty hard on you. Just try to ask her to calm down until you guys can get it figured out. Hugs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max2507 Posted April 26, 2016 Share Posted April 26, 2016 Your accountant should file an amended return right away and pay any penalties because he screwed up. Of course you will have to pay some of that refund back. Or you could work something out with your sister and leave it the way it is but as much hassle as she has given you seems easier to amend your return and let her claim her this one time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhotoJunkie Posted April 26, 2016 Author Share Posted April 26, 2016 For 2015 no I didn't really pay for anything. I was when she first moved there but that was 2014 and they took complete advantage of my finances so I cut off the open ended resource and asked to do it differently. They refused and ended up paying it all themselves which is fine. I have no problems with her being claimed in theirs for the year. They deserve it. I would prefer to let my guy re-file. It gets way to sticky making deals with her. *sigh*. I thought most of the drama with her was behind me. This is the last piece. So I just have to breathe my way through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoVerySad Posted April 26, 2016 Share Posted April 26, 2016 Well, then, on your end you should have your guy file the amended return. It will be your sister's issue to determine if she actually had enough expenses on top of the SS check to claim her as a dependent. I'm sorry you'll have to deal with the fallout from his error. I'm guessing it will likely hold up her refund, if she is waiting on one, until your amended return is sent. Sometimes it feels like nothing is easy, doesn't it? More hugs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhotoJunkie Posted April 26, 2016 Author Share Posted April 26, 2016 Hahahahahahaha I truly can't make this up: he is on vacation in Africa hahahahahahahaha Omg. This is just too funny. He sent a short reply that he will amend it when he returns from Africa but didn't tell me when that would be lol. Only my life I swear . Yes I believe him as he goes every year. I can't wait to tell her *sigh*. I will call the office tomorrow and hope someone can give me a date. It's a small family run thing so it's possible they are all with him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calimom Posted April 26, 2016 Share Posted April 26, 2016 Agree that you filing an amended return is the best course of action, and quite likely your sister needs to research to see if she is qualified to take the deduction for your daughter. As SVS states, the parent or guardian is only able to claim a deduction IF they are providing more than the benefit amount. Unless your sister was paying huge sums of money over and above the social security award like for private school, childcare, medical bills not covered by insurance, etc, she should not take the deduction either. Simply having a child living under your roof does not count. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhotoJunkie Posted April 26, 2016 Author Share Posted April 26, 2016 Per her accountant they qualify for the deduction. My guy didn't ask questions or anything so that's all I have to go on. I do not want to know anything more on that end. I found out how they spent the social security check and that is enough to make me want to stab something (long long story). Ignorance in this matter is easiest and I am all about easy. Also it lessens the drama with my sister. I've already been accused of too many things in that arena and I just need this to be fixed and go away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoVerySad Posted April 26, 2016 Share Posted April 26, 2016 Africa, huh? Ay yi yi (I have no idea how that should be spelled). You can't make this stuff up, can you? LOL! More hugs!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trying2breathe Posted April 26, 2016 Share Posted April 26, 2016 Ugh - hope that this is resolved for you soon! Just what you needed I'm sure, to deal with tax problems! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest nonesuch Posted April 29, 2016 Share Posted April 29, 2016 It was literally an honest mistake, and not yours. I've found that things are usually not as good - or bad- as they first appear. I'm willing to bet a teenager costs more than $1000 a year to maintain. I'd bet my parents spent more than that on me...in 1975. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoVerySad Posted April 29, 2016 Share Posted April 29, 2016 Trust me, nonesuch, they definitely cost more than $1000 per year. I have two, so I know of which I speak. I was just using the $1000 as a simplified example. I probably spend more than that on my daughter's music program participation costs alone per year. Worth every penny I spend on them, of course... most days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhotoJunkie Posted April 29, 2016 Author Share Posted April 29, 2016 Oh I know they spent money on her as did I. I have no problems with them claiming her. My issues are the way in which they are reacting to this mistake. It won't change so I don't know why I expect it to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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