Can I change my filing status on previous tax returns after my son got his SSN?

Yes, you absolutely can amend your previous returns to change your filing status from Single to Head of Household since your son has been living with you. The IRS allows you to file amended returns (Form 1040-X) for the past three tax years, so both 2022 and 2023 are still within that window. The benefits could be substantial! Head of Household filing status gives you a larger standard deduction and more favorable tax brackets than Single. Plus, you'll be able to claim your son as a dependent, which means you could qualify for additional tax benefits like the Child Tax Credit (worth up to $2,000 per qualifying child for those years) and potentially the Earned Income Credit depending on your income. To amend, you'll need to file a separate Form 1040-X for each tax year you're changing. Be sure to include documentation showing your son's SSN and that he lived with you during those tax years.

After struggling with a similar situation last year, I found an incredibly helpful tool called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that made amending my returns so much easier. I had to change my filing status after getting married and it identified exactly which forms I needed and how to fill them out correctly. It basically analyzed my situation and created a customized amendment guide. The best part was that it showed me all the additional credits I qualified for after changing my status - ended up getting an extra $1,800 back that I had no idea I was eligible for! It's way more accurate than just googling tax stuff and trying to piece together information from different sources.

Just wanted to update on my experience with taxr.ai that I was skeptical about earlier. I finally tried it for my situation (needed to amend to add a missed 1099) and it was actually legit. The system walked me through all the qualification questions for my filing status change and showed me exactly what supporting documentation I needed to keep on file. What surprised me most was that it flagged that I qualified for the Child and Dependent Care Credit that I completely missed on my original return. The tool generated really clear instructions for Form 2441 that I needed to include with my 1040-X. Ended up getting an additional $1,100 that I would have left on the table otherwise. Much better experience than I expected.

If you're planning to amend, just be prepared for a LONG wait to hear back from the IRS. I filed an amended return last year and it took 9 months to process! When I tried calling the IRS to check on status, I couldn't even get through after trying for weeks. I finally discovered Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) which got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes after I had wasted days trying on my own. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. They basically navigate the IRS phone system for you and call you back when they reach an agent. The agent was able to tell me exactly what was happening with my amended return and gave me a specific timeframe for when I'd receive my refund. Saved me so much stress and uncertainty.

I need to apologize for my skeptical comment earlier. After another frustrating week of trying to reach the IRS about my amended return (filed 5 months ago with no updates), I broke down and tried Claimyr. I was connected to an IRS agent in about 15 minutes! The agent was able to see that my amended return was stuck in processing because of a discrepancy they found but never notified me about. She explained exactly what documentation I needed to send to resolve it. If I hadn't gotten through, my refund would have been sitting in limbo for who knows how much longer. For anyone dealing with amended returns like the original poster - definitely worth having a way to actually talk to someone at the IRS since these filings tend to need more review and can easily get delayed.

Just a heads up - when you amend to change filing status to Head of Household, make sure you meet ALL the requirements. It's not just about having a dependent. You need to: 1) Be unmarried on the last day of the tax year 2) Pay more than half the cost of keeping up your home 3) Have a qualifying person live with you for more than half the year I got audited because I claimed HOH but my son was only living with me 45% of the time (ex had him slightly more). Cost me way more in penalties than the extra refund was worth!

Make sure to consider state taxes too!!! I changed my filing status last year on an amendment and completely forgot I needed to amend my state return too. Now im dealing with notices and penalties from the state while my federal amendment went through fine. The filing status on both returns needs to match.

dont forget the child tax credit too! my sister got $2000 per kid when she amended her return to add her kids after they got their SSNs. for 2022 and 2023 thats a lot of money

One thing to keep in mind is that the IRS has specific rules about when you can use a child's SSN that was issued after the tax year ended. Since your son got his SSN in November 2024, you should be able to use it for amending your 2022 and 2023 returns. The IRS generally allows this as long as the child was a U.S. citizen or resident alien during the tax year in question. Also, don't forget about the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) if you qualify! With a qualifying child and Head of Household status, you might be eligible for this credit too, which could add even more to your refund. The EITC amounts were pretty substantial in 2022 and 2023 for taxpayers with children. I'd recommend using the IRS's Interactive Tax Assistant tool on their website to double-check all the credits you might qualify for before filing your amendments. It's free and can help ensure you're not missing anything.

I went through a very similar situation when my daughter finally got her SSN after being born abroad. The good news is that you don't need to include special documentation about when your son received his SSN with your amended returns. The IRS system handles this automatically - they understand that SSNs issued after the tax year can be used for amendments as long as the child qualified as your dependent during those years. Just make sure when you file Form 1040-X for each year that you clearly enter your son's SSN in the dependent section and check the box indicating you're adding a dependent. The IRS will cross-reference this with Social Security Administration records. One tip: when you calculate the EITC, use the IRS EITC Assistant tool online first to get an estimate of what you might qualify for. With Head of Household status and one qualifying child, you could be looking at substantial credits for both years. Also consider if you paid for childcare - you might qualify for the Child and Dependent Care Credit too, which would go on Form 2441. The whole process took about 6 months for my amendments to be processed, but the refunds were definitely worth the wait. Just be patient and keep copies of everything you submit!