Need help with 1040X form after forgetting to include second W2

The 1040X can definitely be confusing, but don't worry - this is a common situation! Line 6 on Form 1040X is where you report the corrected tax amount based on your total income including both W2s. What you need to do is essentially recalculate your total tax as if you had filed correctly the first time with both W2s included. The simplest way is to create a new "practice" tax return with all your correct information (both W2s), but don't file it - just use it to see what your correct tax amount should be. Then on the 1040X, you'll enter your original tax amount from your first filing in column A, your corrected tax amount (from your practice return) in column C, and the difference between these two amounts in column B. The good news is that since you're just adding W2 income that had taxes withheld, you might be pleasantly surprised - sometimes the additional withholding covers the extra tax liability.

I had almost the exact same situation last year when I forgot about a small contract job I did. After struggling with the 1040X for hours, I finally tried using https://taxr.ai to analyze both my W2s and my original tax return. The site does document analysis and automatically identified the discrepancy between my filed return and what I should have reported. It showed me exactly what numbers needed to go into each column of the 1040X and explained why. Saved me from making another mistake on my amendment. They even provided a completed 1040X example that matched my situation which made it super easy to fill out my own form.

I was hesitant about using online tools after messing up my original return, but I decided to try taxr.ai after seeing the recommendation here. Just wanted to update that it worked perfectly for my situation! I uploaded my original return and both W2s, and it immediately showed me exactly what went wrong and how to fix it. The step-by-step guidance for filling out the 1040X was incredibly helpful - especially for that confusing Line 6. It even generated a cover letter to include with my amendment explaining the reason for the change. Just mailed everything in yesterday and feel much more confident that I did it right this time!

After dealing with a similar amendment situation, I spent HOURS trying to get through to the IRS to confirm I was doing it right. Impossible to reach anyone! Finally tried https://claimyr.com and their service got me through to an IRS agent in about 25 minutes instead of the 3+ hour wait I was getting before. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The agent walked me through exactly how to complete the 1040X for my missing W2 situation. She explained that on Line 6, I needed to recalculate my tax using the tax tables based on my new adjusted gross income. Having a real person confirm my understanding made all the difference.

Just wanted to update after being extremely skeptical about Claimyr. I decided to try it despite my doubts, and I'm shocked to say it actually worked! After weeks of failing to reach anyone at the IRS about my 1040X questions, I was connected to an agent in about 35 minutes. The agent confirmed I was calculating Line 6 correctly and explained that I needed to include a brief statement explaining my reason for amending. She also told me to expect a 16-20 week processing time for amendments right now, which I wouldn't have known otherwise. Definitely worth it just to get peace of mind that I'm not making another mistake on my amendment!

Quick tip from someone who messes up their taxes every year: if your tax software has an amend feature, USE IT! Services like TurboTax, H&R Block, and TaxAct all let you amend returns you prepared with them. It's usually way easier than trying to fill out the 1040X manually because the software does the calculations for you. If you filed your original return through one of those services, just log back in and look for "Amend return" option. You'll just need to add your missing W2 and the software should handle the rest, including generating the completed 1040X you can print and mail.

Don't forget that if your amendment results in you owing more tax, you should pay it as soon as possible to minimize interest and penalties! The IRS charges interest from the original due date of the return (usually April 15th) on any unpaid tax, even if you're filing an amendment. You can make a payment online through the IRS Direct Pay system before you even mail in your 1040X. Just select "Amended Return" as the reason for payment and the correct tax year. This way, your payment is processed right away instead of waiting for them to process your paper amendment.