Kid claimed his own exemption, but how did they know?

[Possi]

 My friend is working here in VA and his spouse is having their taxes done in another state. She called him to say that their kid, a college student, already claimed his own exemption. How would she know that unless HRB already e-filed and got the rejection?

He hasn't seen his tax return or signed anything.

I got no dog in this fight, I was just curious.

 

[jklcpa]

Maybe the son told her that's how he filed?

[Possi]

3 minutes ago, jklcpa said:

Maybe the son told her that's how he filed?

Nope, son didn't know he did it. Unless she told him already, he still doesn't know. He's at work until late tonight. It's strange, huh?

[Evan S. Golar]

Have the parents file a paper return.

[Possi]

1 minute ago, Evan S. Golar said:

Have the parents file a paper return.

I'm not doing their taxes. I was just wondering how HRB would know the child already claimed his own exemption if the kid prepared it as a DIY return. Is HRB's program one that gives the warning in diagnostics? I thought the tax return had to be e-filed and rejected to get that information.

[Lee B]

I think it might be identity theft !

[Possi]

1 minute ago, cbslee said:

I think it might be identity theft !

It could be... but how in the heck did they KNOW that the kid's exemption was already taken... unless they e-filed the tax return WITHOUT the husband's signature and consent?

[Catherine]

19 minutes ago, Possi said:

It could be... but how in the heck did they KNOW that the kid's exemption was already taken... unless they e-filed the tax return WITHOUT the husband's signature and consent?

That's a darned good question!  Did the wife sign the e-file form FOR the husband?  ("Hang on, he's waiting out in the car, I'll just run this out to him so he can sign...")

[Possi]

13 minutes ago, Catherine said:

That's a darned good question!  Did the wife sign the e-file form FOR the husband?  ("Hang on, he's waiting out in the car, I'll just run this out to him so he can sign...")

She must have! Oh well, I’m not saying a word. LOL

[WITAXLADY]

well I have his/her permission

wait are you even related?!

[Possi]

6 hours ago, WITAXLADY said:

well I have his/her permission

wait are you even related?!

He's in the car.... in Italy....

[Gail in Virginia]

Could it possibly be that H&R Block has access to TurboTax and that is how they know that he claimed himself?  Maybe a shared database?

[Catherine]

6 hours ago, Gail in Virginia said:

that H&R Block has access to TurboTax

I'd believe they have access to the HRB "Tax Cut" program database - but not Intuit's.  Maybe the kid did his return on Tax Cut instead of Ttx?

[Terry D EA]

I have a client with a similar scenario. Son filed his own return using TaxCut and said he never got the option to either claim himself or not. Don't necessarily believe that, but I have zero experience with TaxCut. It  is a good question as to how HRB would know who filed how. Hmmm

[Lion EA]

Possi, don't you deal with a lot of military folks?  The military clients I have had, have had POAs in place for the non-military spouses.  If your couple is in two different states, perhaps your friend gave his wife a POA that includes allowing her to sign tax returns.  If she filed their MFJ tax return (or even her MFS tax return claiming their dependent) then they already would have the reject if their child claimed his own dependency.

[Possi]

On 4/12/2018 at 9:43 PM, Catherine said:

That's a darned good question!  Did the wife sign the e-file form FOR the husband?  ("Hang on, he's waiting out in the car, I'll just run this out to him so he can sign...")

She must have! Oh well, I’m not saying a word. LOL

[Possi]

I never found out how they knew, but they were wrong. He had not claimed himself. They faced signature pages to my office for him to sign and return. The VA return was wrong, so I walked the preparer through it. TaDAY. 

This has been my best text season ever. I have this website, Rita, and a great assistant who handles all my problem clients with kid gloves!  I am counting my blessings tonight!  And I’m not talking about the number of returns or the dollars coming in. I’m talking about a peaceful, joyful spirit! That’s all that matters to me.