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Amended Tax Returns: What They Are and How They Can Save You

"Making a mistake on a tax return isn't the end of the world," one tax expert told CNET.

Headshot of Thomas Kika
Headshot of Thomas Kika
Thomas Kika Former Writer
Thomas is a native of upstate New York and a graduate of the University at Albany. As a former member of CNET's How To team, he wrote about the intersection of policy, information and technology, and how you can best be served in that area. Outside of work, he can most often be found watching too many movies, reading too much, drinking too much coffee, or spending time with his cats.
Thomas Kika
4 min read
High angle view of printed tax form on work desk with calculator and pen.
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We've got just about two weeks left in the 2025 tax season, and this late in the game, if you made a mistake on your tax return, there's a good chance the IRS has alerted you about it. That can be alarming to hear, no matter how trivial the error was, but a simple process can get you through it: filing an amended return.

Amended tax returns are a tool offered by the IRS, allowing you to correct any mistake or omission you might've made on a previous tax return. Mistakes during tax season might be a lot more common than you think. The IRS reports that around 21% of paper tax returns have some error. This statistic drops to 1% for electronic filers since e-filing software can generally help you catch mistakes.

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To make yourself ready for any tax season slip-ups, read on for everything you need to know about amended returns. For more tax coverage, see what enhancements have been made to Direct File this year and find out if claiming the child tax credit will delay your tax refund.

This story is part of Taxes 2026, CNET's coverage of the best tax software, tax tips and everything else you need to file your return and track your refund.

What is an amended tax return?

An amended tax return is a form you can submit to the IRS to fix a mistake on a previously submitted tax return. Even if someone else made an error on your taxes, correcting it is up to you.

The specific form you'll need is called a Form 1040-X, and can be found online here (PDF). This amended return has to be submitted as a paper form, even if the original return was done electronically.

Amended returns can result in you either owing more money to the IRS or being owed more in your tax return, depending on what sort of error or omission you're trying to address.

When do I need to file an amended tax return?

There are a lot of things that can lead you to correct a previously filed tax return. Generally, you don't need to worry about simple math mistakes, as the IRS will correct those.

More so, you'll want to amend a return if, for example, you learn about some additional income you made during the tax year, like if you received another W2 form after filing. Or if you learned you're eligible for a tax credit you didn't originally claim.

As highlighted in a report from Credit Karma, some other reasons might include your parents deciding to claim you as a dependent; your employer making a mistake on your initial W2 and having to send you a corrected one; choosing the wrong filing status originally; or forgetting to report an income source, like from a side gig.

There are as many possible issues as there are taxpayers, though, and if you think you might need to file an amended return for some reason, it might be worth chatting with a tax professional or the IRS itself.

Speaking with CNET via email, enrolled IRS agent and tax expert Jassen Bowman stressed that mistakes on your tax returns shouldn't cause too much alarm.

"Making a mistake on a tax return isn't the end of the world," Bowman wrote. "Yes, the taxpayer is ultimately held responsible for filing an accurate and complete return, but honest mistakes happen, and the IRS understands that."

How far back can I go to make an amended tax return?

You can file an amended tax return as soon as you've learned about something that needs fixing, even if it's the day after you first filed the original return. You can file to amend returns as old as three years, which is the statute of limitations on tax refunds.

Will filing an amended tax return cause an audit?

There's no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, but you probably won't have to worry about it, as audits are rare overall. That said, since amended returns call attention to discrepancies in your filings, it might increase your likelihood of getting audited. 

It's much more likely, however, that the amended return would result in you getting a substantially larger amount of money back as a tax refund. At that point, the IRS might have a few more questions.

How long will it take to process my amended tax return?

Going into the amended return process, you should be aware that it can take a while. Generally, you're looking at around eight to 12 weeks for your new form to get processed, with some taking as long as 16.

For more tax tips, see if you're eligible for the child tax credit this year.

About the Author

Headshot of Thomas Kika
Former Writer
Former Writer

Thomas is a native of upstate New York and a graduate of the University at Albany. As a former member of CNET's How To team, he wrote about the intersection of policy, information and technology, and how you can best be served in that area. Outside of work, he can most often be found watching too many movies, reading too much, drinking too much coffee, or spending time with his cats.