While the AARP Tax-Aide Foundation provides comprehensive training, support and oversite to our Counselors, sometimes mistakes happen. Policies and procedures are in place to help us assist our taxpayers, should mistakes occur.
First and foremost, stay calm. Whatever issues have occurred, we will work with you to ensure the situation is resolved as quickly and painlessly as possible.
Most mistakes occur through miscommunication. Counselors are trained to review everything provided by the taxpayer and prepare the return as accurately as possible. Unfortunately, we don't know what we don't know. If a taxpayer fails to provide accurate information, the Counselor has no idea, so what we enter into the software may be in error.
Conversely, the Counselor might accidently enter a value incorrectly into the software, neglect to enter something they should have or enter it in the wrong place.
Some errors are caught by the IRS and some are not. Some impact the amount to be paid or refunded. Some cause the return to reject. Some aren't noticed until the following tax year. The variety and complexity of errors that can be made and their consequences to the taxpayer are too vast to address here. We've provided a brief overview of some of the tools at our disposal to assist the taxpayer should an error occur.
Correcting the return:
If the error is caught before or during the final review by the client, the Counselor will make the necessary adjustments in the software, reprint the return for the taxpayers signature and shred the previously printed return. Basically, no impact other than some extra time spent.
Correcting a Reject:
Once e-filed, the IRS and NCDOR subject the return to validation on their end. The IRS is sent specific information on the taxpayers income and other tax related information from organizations the taxpayer deals with, such as the SSA, Retirement/Pension account, employer, etc. They also have the taxpayers prior year return information. They can tell if something does not match their records and will notify AARP Tax-Aide that there is a discrepancy and reject the return.
A Counselor responsible for monitoring the status of all returns will review the issue and attempt to resolve it without contacting the client (i.e. misspelled name). Some rejects require we contact the taxpayer by phone, as we no longer have the return documents and may need information to correct a value (i.e. incorrect EIN). Some more serious issues must be discussed in person (i.e. missing document, invalid dependent information, etc.)
In most cases, the taxpayer and Counselor are able to resolve the issue, correct the return and retransmit it (e-file) to the IRS.
Some situations are more complicated. For example, a taxpayer's return has already been filed by someone else. This is identity theft and can cause serious issues for the taxpayer. In this case, the taxpayer must contact the IRS to determine next steps. The AARP Tax-Aide staff can never contact the IRS on the taxpayers behalf. We will provide as much assistance as possible.
Amending the return:
If the error is caught after the return has been e-filed, the counselor may need to complete an amended return. This is IRS's preferred method for making adjustments to a previously filed return. Alternatively, the taxpayer would need to call the IRS and work directly with them, resulting in the same need for an amended return. So, best to let us deal with it from the get go.
The Counselor will create the amended return from the original and make the necessary changes and document the changes on the appropriate form(s). In some situations, both the Federal and State return are amended. Others, just one may be required.
Amended returns can be e-filed by AARP Tax-Aide for the current and 3 prior years, otherwise they must be mailed.
Please know that we will be with you through the entire ordeal. While we may not always be able to correct the issue directly, we will provide any and all assistance within our power. Reimbursement for expenses incurred due to a mistake on our part may be requested through the District Coordinator. Serious issues will be reported to the appropriate State and National level resources to ensure that everything is done to resolve the issue and ensure it does not happen in the future.