How to Know If You Filed Your Tax Return Correctly

Filing your tax return is one of the most important responsibilities for taxpayers in the United States. Whether you are an individual, small business owner, or self-employed, it is crucial to ensure that your tax return has been filed correctly. A mistake in filing can lead to delays in refunds, penalties, and even audits by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

In this blog, we explain how to know if you filed your tax return correctly and what steps to take if you suspect there was an error.

1. Check the IRS Receipt

What is the IRS Receipt?

After filing your tax return electronically, you should receive an acknowledgment from the IRS through your tax preparer confirming that your return was received. If you do not have this confirmation, there may have been an issue with your filing.

What to Do If You Don’t Receive the Receipt?

If you don’t receive a receipt, check with the professional who filed your tax return. If you have a tax refund in progress, you can also check its status with the IRS using their online tool, “Where’s My Refund?”

2. Verify the Entered Information

Personal Information and Financial Details

One of the most important steps to ensure your tax return was filed correctly is to review all the personal and financial information entered. This includes:

• Full Name: Make sure your name is spelled correctly as it appears on your Social Security card or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN).
• Social Security Number (SSN): Verify that the Social Security Number or ITIN is correct.
• Address: Ensure your current or most recent address is up to date.
• Income: Review all W-2, 1099 forms, and other income documents to ensure they have been included correctly.
• Deductions and Credits: Verify that you have claimed all the deductions and tax credits you are entitled to.

Common Errors in the Tax Return

Some of the most common errors taxpayers make when filing their tax returns include:

• Calculation errors.
• Omitting necessary additional forms.
• Incorrectly claiming deductions or credits.
• Omitting information about additional sources of income.
• Failing to sign or include an electronic signature.

If you make any of these errors, your return could be rejected or processed incorrectly, which could cause problems with the IRS.

3. Use IRS Tools to Verify the Status

The IRS offers an online tool called “Where’s My Refund?” that allows you to check the status of your tax return if a refund is due. To use this tool, you will need:

• Your Social Security Number or ITIN.
• The filing status you selected on your return.
• The exact amount of the expected refund.

This tool will inform you if your return was received, if it is being processed, and when you can expect to receive your refund.

“Verify Filing Status” Tool

If you filed your return by paper, you can use the “Verify Filing Status” tool on the IRS website or call the IRS directly to confirm that your return was received and is being processed.

4. Review the Refund or Payment Status

Refund

If you are expecting a refund, the amount you receive should match what appears on your tax return. If the amount is different, the IRS may have made a correction to your return. In this case, you will receive a letter explaining the difference.

Tax Payment

If you owed taxes and made the payment, verify that the amount was debited from your bank account. If the IRS does not receive the payment, you could face penalties and interest for late payment.

What to Do If There Is an Error?

At Prodezk, we understand the importance of ensuring that your tax return was filed correctly. To help you with this, we offer our specialized Tax Records and Transcripts service. These documents provided by the IRS contain detailed information about your tax history, including your filed tax returns, payments made, adjustments, and any communication you have had with the IRS.

Types of Transcripts We Can Manage for You:

• Account Transcript: Includes a summary of your filed tax returns, payments, and any adjustments made by the IRS.
• Filed Return Transcript: Shows an exact copy of your tax returns as they were filed with the IRS.
• Wage and Income Transcript: Contains detailed information about the income you have reported and the payments made to third parties.

With these records, we can help you validate that your tax return was received and processed correctly by the IRS. Additionally, by reviewing these documents, we can identify any discrepancies or issues that need to be corrected.

If you want to ensure that all your information with the IRS is in order, contact us. We will help you request and certify that your company is up to date, offering you the peace of mind of knowing that your tax matters are well managed and under control.