Amend return for stimulus payment?

[Kea]

Client sent e-mail today that said we used his wife's ITIN on the 2007 return instead of her SSN. She just got the SSN last October (and I didn't even pay attention that she had ITIN not SSN and didn't think to ask if she now had SSN).

Since she is filed with ITIN, then they don't get any of the stimulus payment. If I file an amendment now with the SSN, will that generate the stimulus payment?

Or, will they not get it until they file the 2008 return? I thought I saw on the IRS site (back at the beginning of all this) that they didn't change the stimulus payments with amendments. Now that the IRS has about 3 sections of FAQs, I can't find that anymore. I'm thinking I made it up.

Thanks.

[kcjenkins]

Well, why not go ahead and file the 1040X? It should only take a minute to generate it, federal is all that should be needed, and then they either will or will not get it now. As you say, if they don't get it now, they will get in on the next return, but you should, I think, at least try to get it for them now. Can't hurt, only takes a minute to generate it, and they will appreciate that you did it at no charge. And after all, you should have asked, although it's an easy error to make. Frankly, I'm not sure even the IRS knows what they will or will not do about it.

[Kea]

Thanks KC. I agree completely.

I only have a handful of clients with ITINs. I have no idea if any of the others are even trying to get SSNs (or if any others already have one). But this is the kind of situation that helps us improve our interview techniques.

[Lion EA]

Once had someone bring in his return with a typo on daughter's SS#, long-standing error on mailed returns. We called the IRS, and they changed the SS# on the spot on the ORIGINAL return and told me NOT to submit an amendment. Might be worth a phone call, because that might get the rebate now...

[Kea]

I wondered about that. I wasn't sure if that might be eligible for a phone change. I'll do that first. Right now, I'm waiting for my client to give me the new SSN.

Thanks!

[Kea]

FYI:

I finally got the SSN from the client today. I called the Practitioner Hotline to see if I could make the change by phone. They said that even filing an amendment would not get the stimulus payment this year. It will have to wait until next year's filing.

Just wanted to let y'all know.

Thanks for all your input.

[kcjenkins]

Thanks for letting us know that. It's always good to be informed, because that will not the last client with that question, I'm sure.