Should I amend my tax return for missing W-2 and dependent?

Yes, you definitely need to amend. Missing a W-2 means unreported income which is a big red flag. The IRS will eventually match your SSN with all W-2s issued to you. For the dependent, you're leaving money on the table - could be thousands depending on their age and your income level.

Have you tried calling the IRS to ask about your specific situation? Good luck getting through their phone system though, right? When I had a similar issue last year, I used Claimyr (https://www.claimyr.com) and got connected to an IRS agent in about 15 minutes instead of spending days trying to get through. They confirmed exactly what I needed to do for my amendment and even told me how to minimize any potential penalties. Isn't it worth knowing exactly what you need to do in your specific case?

I was in a similar situation last year with my husband's military assignment. We moved twice and a W-2 got lost in the shuffle. I filed an amended return as soon as I found it. The process wasn't as bad as I expected - took about 20 minutes using tax software. Got an additional $780 back because of it. The amended return took about 16 weeks to process, but no penalties since I corrected it voluntarily before they caught it.

Tax practitioner here. This is a clear case requiring a 1040-X filing. The missing W-2 is particularly problematic as the IRS Automated Underreporter (AUR) program will flag this discrepancy automatically during their document matching process, typically within 12-18 months of your original filing. For the dependent, if they qualify under Section 152 of the IRC as either a Qualifying Child or Qualifying Relative, you're potentially missing substantial tax benefits including Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Credit (if applicable), and favorable filing status options. File the amendment before receiving a CP2000 notice to avoid accuracy-related penalties under Section 6662.

I've been exactly where you are and it's stressful! Here's what helped me: • First, I collected all my missing documents • Then, I tried making sense of my transcript but got lost in the codes • Finally, I used taxr.ai to analyze my tax situation The tool was super helpful because: • It explained exactly what would happen with my missing W-2 • It calculated what my amended return would look like • It showed me the timeline for when I needed to act Saved me hours of research and worry! Check it out at https://taxr.ai

Fixed this exact issue last year. Forgot a W-2 from a two-week job. Filed 1040-X in April. Included missing documents. Received adjusted refund in August. No penalties because I caught it myself. Process was straightforward. Used tax software. Printed. Mailed with certified tracking. Worth doing immediately.

I would recommend checking your IRS transcript first before amending. Back on February 15th, I discovered I had forgotten a 1099 after I had already filed. My tax preparer suggested pulling my transcript on March 3rd, and we found that the IRS had already made the correction automatically. Not saying this will happen in your case, but as of April 12th, the IRS has been more proactive about certain corrections. Might save you the amendment paperwork if they've already adjusted it.

I might be wrong, but... couldn't this potentially trigger an audit if you don't fix it? I'm not an expert by any means, but I believe the IRS gets copies of all W-2s issued with your SSN, so they'll know something's missing. I'd be a bit concerned about penalties too, especially if it's a significant amount. Maybe check with a professional before deciding?

I actually had a somewhat similar situation in my family last year. My son, who's also military, forgot to include a W-2 from a brief civilian job he held during leave. We discovered it about three months after filing. The amendment process was relatively painless, all things considered. It probably took me about an hour to prepare the 1040-X, and while processing took nearly 4 months, there were no penalties since we voluntarily corrected the error before the IRS discovered it.

The community wisdom on this is pretty clear - amend now rather than wait. Here's why: 1. The IRS will eventually catch the missing W-2 through their matching program 2. Voluntary disclosure before they find it usually means no penalties 3. For the dependent, you're likely missing out on credits you deserve 4. Amended returns are taking 20+ weeks to process, so earlier is better 5. The peace of mind is worth the effort Just make sure to use certified mail with tracking when you send in your 1040-X!