Another stimulus check question? Wrong amount? Tax Preparer at fault?

Question

First off, I'm not really complaining, at least I got something, I just want to make sure my taxes were done right. My check was 900, I got the 600 for my 2 kids, but only 300 for me. I made over 17,000 last year, a few hundred more than my coworker, he got 600 back for himself. I went to look at my 1040 form at line 57, and I don't have one. I have 1040A. I look at my boyfriend's, he has the right form, but he got the right amount back. We both went to H&R Block, they messed our taxes up this year anyway, (we live together with our 3 kids, file separately, they put me as head of household not single like I told them , so he got ripped off because he was supposed to claim HOH) My main concern is should I contact them about all this? Why is my form different? I have nothing to refer to, and I really can't stay on the phone with the IRS all day. I'm glad I got something, but if I am entitled to more I wouldn't mind it. Thanks.

Answer 1

It is always the tax preparer's fault, isn't it?  You did sign the form that had the wrong filing status, didn't you?  You don't have to sign a return you don't agree with so the the preparer made you HH when you specifically said not to, have them change it to your way or walk out.  As long as you aren't asking for something they know is illegal, they should do your taxes your way.  So maybe there is enough blame for you and your preparer to share.

You form is different only because Block and TurboTax and bottom feeder like Jackson Hewitt and everybody else always files the simplest form that will hold the info for that tax return.  Your boyfriend had something that required the full long 1040 and you didn't so you got the shorter 1040A.  So instead of looking for line 57 on the 1040A, just look for the equivalent line on 1040A.  In other words look for line 35 on 1040A.

If you really were "shorted" anyway, it will all work out when you do your 2008 taxes, since there will be reconciliation of what you got vs. what you should have got.

Answer 2

If you put the information you gave into the stimulus calculator at irs.gov, you will see that your payment is correct.

With an income of $17,000, filing as single with two children, you have the following deductions:

standard deduction: $7,850

exemptions: $10,200

taxable income:$0

So, your tax liability: $0

So as you can see, your tax is less than $300, so that you get the minimum stimulus check of $300 for yourself, and $300 for each child.   If you had filed as Single, your stimulus check would have been the same.

Answer 3

If your income was only $17,000 with 2 kids, your tax liability would have been below $300 so you only qualify for $300 for yourself and not the full $600.

Your stimulus check of $900 is correct.

Answer 4

Even the IRS seems fuzzy about the amounts of the stimulus check.  We recently got a letter from the IRS telling us how much the check would be for.  It was not what I had previously calculated, but what the heck.  I'm going to go deposit it while there is still money in the account. 8-)

Answer 5

H&R block need to file a tax amendment (at no adiditonal cost to you) as its their fault.

Answer 6

If your boyfriend was supposed to file as head of household, why didn't he correct H&R Block at the time of filing?  

An amended 1040 can be filed at any time.  It's not too late to fix it.

Answer 7

The amount you got was correct.  Since you claimed two of the kids, you didn't have any tax liability - so since you had the required income you were eligible for $300.  The payment is $300 UP TO $600 - to get $600 you had to have that much tax liability.  If your coworker didn't have kids, he'd have paid that much in tax so got $600, but with the exemptions for your kids you didn't have tax liability so you got $300 for yourself.

H&R might or might not have screwed up by putting you, not your boyfriend, as head of household.  You have to file separately since you aren't married.  I assume from your question that he claimed the other child, and that he is the biological father of the child he claimed.  If that's true, HofH comes down to which of you paid over half of the expenses of maintaining the household.  Only that person could legally file as head of household.  Which of you made more?  They probably assumed that person paid more of the expenses.  If the kids are both of your biological children, then you can split them however you want to on your returns.

Next time read over your returns before you sign the forms and leave, to be sure they are filed correctly.