HOME About Us | IRS Taxes E-Filing Self Employment Tax Social Security Fraud Back Taxes Filing An Extension Claiming Dependents Late Penalties Tax Refund Earned Income Tax Credit ASK YOUR TAX QUESTION
Can we file our return electronically (e-filing)?
Q) Can we file our return electronically (e-filing)?
A) According to the IRS – Yes, you can file electronically (e-filing) using any filing status. The limitations are:
- It must be your original individual return (not an amended return), and
- You cannot have already filed a return.
Filing your return electronically is faster, safer, and more accurate than mailing your tax return because it is transmitted electronically to the IRS computer systems.
Because the IRS processes the first return it receives, if another person claims your dependent first, the IRS will reject your return. The IRS won’t tell you who claimed your dependent. But if you don’t suspect anyone who could have claimed the dependent, your dependent may be a victim of tax identity theft. You’ll need to take some steps to protect your right to claim the dependent and your refund if you don’t think that the other person was eligible to claim your dependent. First, double check that you meet all of the requirements to claim the dependent.
The IRS may delay your refund while the IRS looks into the issue, but you should still receive your refund. File a paper return. Note that when you file a paper return, it can take six to eight weeks for the IRS to process. This includes things like birth certificates and proof of identity, but also documents that show that your dependent lived with you at the same address for more than half of the year. This doesn’t mean that you can’t correct the situation. Don’t panic. The most important thing to remember is to prove with proper documentation that you are entitled to claim the dependent. Document your case as the IRS rules for claiming a dependent can get complicated.