Tax preparer didn't claim my Lifetime Learning Credit - how to file amended return for education credit?

You definitely need to file an amended return to claim that education credit! The good news is that you're still well within the timeframe to amend a 2022 return - you generally have 3 years from the original filing date to claim a refund. You'll need to file Form 1040-X (Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return) along with a corrected Form 8863 (Education Credits) to claim your Lifetime Learning Credit. The 1040-X is basically where you show the changes between your original return and the corrected amounts. Make sure to check box B on the 1040-X for "Claiming a refund" and include a brief explanation in Part III that your tax preparer failed to claim your education credit. You'll also need to attach any supporting schedules that change as a result (like Schedule 3 if you're claiming a credit). If you have a copy of your original return, that will be super helpful for filling out the "original amount" column on the 1040-X. Then you'll show the "correct amount" including your education credit, and the "difference" column will show the change.

I had almost the exact same situation with my taxes last year! After weeks of trying to get my tax preparer to fix their mistake, I finally gave up and used taxr.ai to help me figure out exactly what forms I needed and how to file my own amended return. I uploaded my original return, 1098-T, and other tax docs at https://taxr.ai and the system walked me through everything. It analyzed my situation, confirmed I was eligible for the Lifetime Learning Credit, and generated step-by-step instructions for completing Form 1040-X and Form 8863. It even showed me exactly what numbers to put where and explained the calculations so I actually understood what I was doing. What impressed me was how it caught that my original return had some other small errors too. The whole process took me about 45 minutes, which was way better than the hours of research I was doing before.

I want to update everyone after trying taxr.ai for my missed child tax credit issue. I was hesitant at first, but after seeing the recommendation here, I decided to give it a shot. The process was super straightforward - I uploaded my documents and answered a few questions. Within minutes, it showed me that I was indeed eligible for an additional $1,200 that my preparer missed. The system generated detailed instructions for how to fill out my 1040-X and even highlighted the specific sections of my original return that needed correction. What I found most helpful was the explanation of WHY I qualified. My tax situation was a bit unusual with shared custody, and taxr.ai explained exactly which IRS rules applied to my case. I filed my amended return last month following their instructions, and just got confirmation that it was accepted! Now just waiting for my refund. If you're dealing with education credits like the original poster or other missed tax credits, it's definitely worth checking out.

For anyone struggling to reach the IRS with questions about amending returns - I found an amazing service that got me through to an actual IRS agent in under 15 minutes after spending DAYS trying on my own. It's called Claimyr and basically holds your place in the phone queue. I used https://claimyr.com after seeing a demo at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c and was honestly shocked at how well it worked. I had questions about amending my return for education credits that weren't claimed (similar to your situation) and needed clarification on some 1098-T issues. When I tried calling the IRS directly, I'd either get disconnected or be told the wait was too long. With Claimyr, I got connected to an agent who actually helped explain exactly which forms I needed and confirmed my understanding of the Lifetime Learning Credit calculations. The agent even checked my account to verify I was still within the timeframe to amend my 2022 return and gave me the direct mailing address for where to send my forms.

I need to eat some humble pie here. After my skeptical comment earlier, I decided to try Claimyr myself because I've been trying to reach the IRS for WEEKS about an issue with my amended return that's been stuck in processing for 9 months. I was 100% convinced it wouldn't work, but I was desperate. Within 35 minutes, my phone rang and I was speaking with an actual IRS representative. I almost fell out of my chair. The agent was able to look up my amended return status and explain that there was a discrepancy they needed to verify regarding my education credits. They even put notes in my file explaining what documentation I needed to send to resolve the issue. I've been stressing about this for months, and in one phone call, I got more information than I had in all my previous attempts combined. For anyone filing an amended return for education credits like the OP, getting confirmation from the IRS about your specific situation can save you from making mistakes that delay your refund. I'm still shocked this actually worked.

Just a quick tip - when you file your 1040-X for the Lifetime Learning Credit, make sure you're using the CORRECT TAX YEAR forms! I made this mistake and it caused my amended return to be rejected. For tax year 2022, use the 2022 version of Form 8863 and 2022 1040-X. Sounds obvious but easy to mess up when you're downloading forms. Also, if you're mailing it in (which you have to do for amended returns), make sure to sign and date the 1040-X and include your phone number. I forgot to sign mine and it delayed everything by months. The Lifetime Learning Credit is worth up to 20% of the first $10,000 of qualified education expenses, so max credit is $2,000. Based on your numbers, it looks like you're calculating it correctly.

Has anyone here successfully e-filed an amended return for education credits? I know the IRS started allowing e-filing for Form 1040-X a few years ago, but I've heard mixed things about whether it works for all situations.

I went through this exact same situation last year when my tax preparer missed my education credit! It's so frustrating having to clean up someone else's mistake, especially when you provided all the documentation. Based on your numbers, you definitely qualify for the Lifetime Learning Credit. With $6,200 in qualified expenses minus $2,100 in scholarships/grants, you have $4,100 in eligible expenses. At 20%, that would give you an $820 credit, which matches what you calculated. A few things to keep in mind when filing your 1040-X: - Make sure to check your AGI phase-out limits (for 2022, the LLC phases out between $59,000-$69,000 for single filers, so you're well within the range) - Double-check that you haven't already used 4 years of AOTC, which it sounds like you have - Include a clear explanation in Part III of the 1040-X about why you're amending The whole process took about 14 weeks for me to get my refund, but it was worth it. Don't let your preparer's mistake cost you money that's rightfully yours! You've got this.