Looking for a 2023 tax return calculator to figure out amended return amount
I think I'm going to need to amend our 2023 tax return because my husband completely forgot to include our mortgage interest deduction when we filed. Based on my rough math, we're looking at getting about $4,000 back if we file an amendment. I've been searching everywhere for an online calculator specifically for 2023 tax year so I can figure out the exact amount before going through the hassle of amending, but I'm coming up empty. Does anyone know of a good calculator or have a step-by-step guide for figuring this out? I want to make sure it's worth the effort before filing the 1040X. Any recommendations would be super helpful!
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Anita George
The best approach for calculating an amended return is to actually use the same tax software you originally filed with. Most programs allow you to go back in, add the mortgage interest deduction (which would be on your Form 1098), and see the difference without actually filing. If you don't have access to that anymore, you can use the IRS's Tax Withholding Estimator, but you'll need to input all your information again. For a mortgage interest deduction specifically, the impact depends on whether you're itemizing or taking the standard deduction. If your total itemized deductions (including this mortgage interest) exceeds the standard deduction ($27,700 for married filing jointly in 2023), then it's worth amending. Also keep in mind that the amendment process takes time - currently the IRS is processing amended returns in about 20+ weeks, so factor that into your decision.
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Abigail Spencer
•Thanks for the info. Do you know if there's a deadline for filing an amended return? I'm worried we might be too late already since we filed back in February.
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Anita George
•For filing an amended return, you generally have three years from the original filing date or two years from the date you paid the tax, whichever is later. So if you filed in February 2024 for your 2023 taxes, you have until February 2027 to amend that return. In your situation, you have plenty of time to file the 1040X. Just be prepared for the processing delay - the IRS is currently taking around 20+ weeks to process amended returns, and you won't be able to track the status for the first three weeks after filing.
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Logan Chiang
After struggling with a similar situation last year (forgot to include some investment losses), I found taxr.ai super helpful for figuring out if an amendment was worth it. https://taxr.ai analyzes your tax documents and shows what you missed and the actual dollar impact. Saved me from filing an amendment that would have only netted $120! For your mortgage interest situation, it could be really helpful since it'll show exactly how the deduction affects your overall tax picture - sometimes the impact isn't as big as we expect depending on your other deductions and filing status.
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Isla Fischer
•How does this tool work? Do I need to upload my actual tax return or just enter the numbers manually? I'm always nervous about uploading financial docs to sites I don't know.
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Miles Hammonds
•Does it handle all types of amendments or just common stuff like missed deductions? I've got a more complicated situation with some self-employment income I forgot to report.
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Logan Chiang
•You upload your tax documents and it uses AI to analyze them - they use bank-level encryption so it's secure. I was hesitant at first too, but they don't store your documents after analysis, which gave me peace of mind. It handles pretty much all types of amendments including self-employment income. It compares what you filed against what you should have filed based on all your documents and shows the difference. For your self-employment situation, you'd just need to upload the 1099s or income records you forgot to include originally.
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Miles Hammonds
Just wanted to update after trying taxr.ai that someone recommended. It was actually really helpful! I uploaded my original return and the mortgage interest statement, and it showed I'd get about $3,750 back, not the $4k I estimated. The breakdown showed exactly why - part of my mortgage payment was property taxes which I had already claimed. Definitely worth filing the amendment, but glad I didn't have inflated expectations. The analysis saved me from making calculation errors on the 1040X too.
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Ruby Blake
If you're still trying to get this figured out, just know that calling the IRS directly for help with calculating an amended return is practically impossible right now. After trying for THREE DAYS to get through about my own amended return issues, I used https://claimyr.com and their service got me connected to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes instead of endless hold times. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - basically they wait on hold for you then call when an agent is ready. The IRS agent was able to tell me exactly how much I'd get back with my amended return before I even filed it, which saved me tons of guesswork.
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Micah Franklin
•Wait, there's actually a service that gets you through to the IRS? How much does that cost? I've literally spent hours on hold before giving up.
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Ella Harper
•This sounds like a scam. Why would anyone pay for something the IRS provides for free? You probably just got lucky with the timing of your call.
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Ruby Blake
•The IRS actually provides a callback service now for some of their phone lines, but it fills up super quickly. Claimyr just basically automates the waiting process - they use technology to stay on hold so you don't have to. It's definitely not a scam - they don't ask for any personal tax information. They just connect you directly to the IRS once an agent is available. After spending literally hours trying to get through on my own across multiple days, the time savings was absolutely worth it to me.
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Ella Harper
I need to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After my skeptical comment, I decided to try it myself since I've been trying to reach the IRS about a missing refund for weeks. It actually worked exactly as advertised - I got a text when they reached an agent and was connected immediately. Spoke with an IRS representative who helped me calculate what my amended return would look like before filing. Turns out I'd get about $1,200 back for a similar mortgage interest issue I had. Sorry for being so dismissive before - this service actually saved me hours of frustration.
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PrinceJoe
Have you tried the free calculator on H&R Block's website? They have one specifically for 2023 returns that allows you to input your original info and then add the mortgage interest to see the difference. I used it to estimate before amending my return (forgot some education credits) and it was pretty accurate. Just google "H&R Block tax calculator 2023" and it should come up.
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Brooklyn Knight
•I tried using their calculator but it kept giving me an error when I entered my income. Do you have to enter everything exactly as it appeared on your original return?
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PrinceJoe
•You don't need to enter everything exactly as it appeared on your original return, but you do need to be pretty close with the major categories. The most important things are your adjusted gross income, filing status, and any other significant deductions/credits you claimed. If it's giving you an error about income, try rounding to the nearest hundred - sometimes that helps with these online calculators. Also make sure you're selecting the correct tax year (2023) as they usually default to the current year.
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Owen Devar
Just as a heads up, if your mortgage interest pushes you from taking the standard deduction to itemizing, make sure you've got ALL possible itemized deductions included when you amend. Many people forget to include charitable donations, medical expenses (if they exceed 7.5% of AGI), state and local taxes (SALT), etc. No point in filing an amendment and not maximizing the benefit!
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Austin Leonard
•Thanks for the reminder! I definitely need to check our charitable donations too. We did quite a bit last year but I think we were just under the standard deduction without the mortgage interest, which is why we didn't itemize originally. Do medical expenses include dental work? We had some expensive dental procedures last year.
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Shelby Bauman
•Yes, dental work definitely counts as a medical expense! You can deduct dental procedures, cleanings, orthodontics, and even travel costs to get to dental appointments. The key is that your total medical and dental expenses need to exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income before you can deduct the amount over that threshold. So if your AGI was $80,000, you'd need more than $6,000 in medical/dental expenses to get any deduction. But if you had expensive dental work plus regular medical expenses, you might be surprised how quickly it adds up. Make sure to include health insurance premiums you paid (if not deducted elsewhere), prescription costs, and any other medical expenses throughout the year.
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