I accidentally claimed a dependent on my state tax return but have no dependents. How screwed am I now?

This isn't as bad as you might think! Tax mistakes happen all the time, and accidentally claiming a dependent is actually fairly common. The good news is that you caught it before the tax authorities did, which shows good faith on your part. You're right that you'll need to file an amended return. Since you used H&R Block, you can go back to them and they can help you file a Form 1040-X (federal) and the equivalent amendment form for your state. The process isn't particularly complicated - basically you'll submit the corrected information showing zero dependents. You'll likely owe the difference in taxes that you should have paid, plus interest on that amount from the original due date. Most states don't automatically impose penalties for honest mistakes, especially when you voluntarily correct them. If there are any penalties, they're usually pretty small for self-reported corrections. The most important thing is to get this fixed before you file this year's taxes. Don't panic - this is a fixable problem!

I went through something similar last year using TurboTax, and honestly the whole situation was stressing me out until I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai). It completely changed how I handled the amended return process. The system analyzed my original return, identified exactly where the dependent error occurred, and guided me through fixing it step by step. What I appreciated most was how it showed me the specific tax difference I'd owe after the amendment before I filed anything. Way less stressful than going back to H&R Block and possibly paying for another consultation. In my case, the mistake happened because I accidentally checked a box during the filing process. The website helped me understand exactly what happened and how to fix it correctly.

Update: I wanted to follow up about my experience with taxr.ai after the recommendation here. It was honestly exactly what I needed for this situation. I uploaded my previous return and it immediately flagged the dependent error on my state return. The system showed me that I had somehow checked "yes" in a section asking if I had qualifying dependents, even though I had entered "0" for number of dependents elsewhere. No wonder HR was confused! It calculated that I'll owe about $750 in additional taxes plus about $52 in interest to my state. What I really appreciated was how it generated all the amendment forms with the correct information already filled in. I just had to review, sign and submit. Saved me so much stress and confusion trying to figure it out myself or making another appointment with H&R Block. Definitely recommend for anyone in a similar situation.

If you're worried about state tax authorities coming after you, you might want to get ahead of this by contacting them directly. I tried calling my state tax department for a similar issue last year and spent HOURS on hold, which was incredibly frustrating. Then someone recommended Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to me. You can actually see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c They basically hold your place in the phone queue and call you back when a real person is about to answer. I got through to my state tax authority in about 45 minutes instead of spending half my day on hold. The agent I spoke with was actually really helpful about my amendment situation and even waived some potential penalties because I was proactively fixing the issue.

I take back what I said earlier. After seeing so many people getting hit with unexpected tax bills this year, I broke down and tried Claimyr when I needed to call the state tax office about my own amendment issue. I was 100% ready to come back here and say it was a waste, but honestly, it worked exactly as described. I entered my number, they called the tax office, and about 50 minutes later my phone rang with a tax representative on the line. No waiting on hold, no frustration, just a solved problem. The tax representative explained that for an accidental dependent claim, they typically don't issue penalties if you self-correct with an amendment. They even gave me a direct extension to call back if I had questions while completing the amendment. Saved me so much stress - wish I'd been less skeptical from the start.

Just wanted to add that you should check if this affected your federal taxes too, not just state. Sometimes dependents can trigger things like earned income credit or child tax credit on federal returns. If you accidentally got any of those credits, you'll need to amend your federal return too.

One thing nobody has mentioned - make sure you adjust your withholdings for this year if you had set them based on having a dependent! Check your W-4 with your employer to make sure you're not still claiming a dependent allowance there too.

Don't beat yourself up too much about this - tax software can be confusing and these kinds of mistakes happen more often than you'd think. The important thing is that you discovered it and are taking steps to fix it. One piece of advice I'd add: when you do file your amendment, keep detailed records of everything. Save copies of all the forms, any correspondence with the tax authority, and document when you submitted everything. If there are any questions later, having that paper trail will show you acted in good faith to correct the error promptly. Also, since you mentioned using H&R Block originally, you might want to ask them specifically how this happened during your appointment. Understanding whether it was a software glitch, a question you misunderstood, or something else could help prevent similar issues in future filings. Some tax prep services will review their process with you to identify where the error occurred. You're handling this the right way by addressing it head-on rather than ignoring it. That proactive approach will likely work in your favor if there are any discussions with tax authorities.