Can you file a superceding return with Free Fillable Forms?

[pirsquared]

We file our federal taxes with Free Fillable Forms. After double-checking everything (I thought), we filed last night and our return was accepted by the IRS. However, today I realized we made a mistake. Specifically, I forgot about a January 2025 Roth IRA withdrawal that will make us ineligible for the Retirement Savings Contribution Credit. Can I file a superceding return with Free Fillable Forms? Or do I need to send in a paper 1040-X (along with a check)?

Thanks!

 

[Montecfo]

You need to file an amended return, Form 1040X.

 

[pirsquared]

Okay, thanks! That was what I thought, but I was hoping there was a way to e-file my amendment. I now have the 1040-X filled out and ready to go (with supporting documents), but I will wait until the original return finishes processing all the way.

 

[Montecfo]

Okay, thanks! That was what I thought, but I was hoping there was a way to e-file my amendment. I now have the 1040-X filled out and ready to go (with supporting documents), but I will wait until the original return finishes processing all the way.

Tip: I usually let my completed return sit for 2 or 3 days and then come back to it. It gives my brain time to work and for any missed issues to come to light.

 

[cathy63]

You can e-file an amended return with just about any consumer software. Try FreeTaxUSA, which should not charge anything unless you also need to amend a state return.

I don't think there's any consumer software that can file a superseding return. For that you'd have to pay a pro and it doesn't sound like you need one.

 

[pirsquared]

Tip: I usually let my completed return sit for 2 or 3 days and then come back to it. It gives my brain time to work and for any missed issues to come to light.

Yup. I did a draft on paper a few weeks ago, then typed it all into Free Fillable Forms last weekend, then double checked every number with its source document, then waited two more days, and then e-filed it. Then the next day I realized my error. Oh, well.

Due to odd circumstances, we had Roth IRA distributions and Traditional IRA contributions in the same year, so I had to subtract the distributions from the contributions on Form 8880. Any 2025 distributions before the 2024 tax filing deadline also need to be subtracted, which I knew. I kept thinking that it was a good thing that we did not take a distribution yet in 2025 because we were getting a $200 credit. Then I realized that we did, in fact, take a distribution in 2025 at the very beginning of January which was, of course, not included in our 2024 1099. It was a smaller distribution and I kept thinking we hadn't actually done it.

You can e-file an amended return with just about any consumer software. Try FreeTaxUSA, which should not charge anything unless you also need to amend a state return.

I don't think there's any consumer software that can file a superseding return. For that you'd have to pay a pro and it doesn't sound like you need one.

Hmm. I wonder if I would have to go through the whole process again with FreeTaxUSA. I think we will just amend on paper. It is just a couple of sheets of paper and I won't mind too much if it takes them a while to cash our $200 check. My only hesitancy is that paper amending introduces another human being into the process, which always increases the possibility of error. But it's a really simple "oops, we should not get this credit after all" so hopefully no big deal.

 

[SecondCor521]

You can e-file an amended return with just about any consumer software. Try FreeTaxUSA, which should not charge anything unless you also need to amend a state return.

I don't think there's any consumer software that can file a superseding return. For that you'd have to pay a pro and it doesn't sound like you need one.

I understand trying to do a superceding return using the same software for the same taxpayer generally wouldn't work. But wouldn't just filing a regular 1040 return with another software package end up being treated as a superceding return? In this case, OP filed the original with FFFF, and could file a superceding return with FreeTaxUSA?

 

[Montecfo]

Not sure why you would take that risk.

 

[CaptTom]

Happened to me last year. Filed a paper 1040X and all is well. Don't worry about it getting processed before your on-line submission. But they did cash the check pretty quickly.

 

[cathy63]

I understand trying to do a superceding return using the same software for the same taxpayer generally wouldn't work. But wouldn't just filing a regular 1040 return with another software package end up being treated as a superceding return? In this case, OP filed the original with FFFF, and could file a superceding return with FreeTaxUSA?

You can't e-file a second return for the same SSN with any end user software. The reject comes back very quickly if you try.

 

[pirsquared]

Happened to me last year. Filed a paper 1040X and all is well. Don't worry about it getting processed before your on-line submission. But they did cash the check pretty quickly.

Thanks! This is my current plan. It seems like the simplest, most straightforward option.

 

[SecondCor521]

You can't e-file a second return for the same SSN with any end user software. The reject comes back very quickly if you try.

Ah. So there's some fancy flag in the professional professional software to file a superceding return? I know superceding returns are permissible, so there must be some way to actually do it.

What about mailing in the second copy?

 

[SecondCor521]

Not sure why you would take that risk.

What risks do you see? Filing a superceding return is entirely permissible, although uncommon. There are pros and cons to them compared to a 1040-X, although most of them are niggling little details or edge cases.

I thought it might be easier than a 1040-X, which is why I suggested the idea. Perhaps it would not be easier.

 

[Montecfo]

In my experience with IRS simplest is best. With a 1040x there is no question which was the original and which is the correction. No right-hand, left hand type of issues.

Unless there was a compelling reason or advantage, I would go with the more common, expected solution.

 

[cathy63]

Ah. So there's some fancy flag in the professional professional software to file a superceding return? I know superceding returns are permissible, so there must be some way to actually do it.

What about mailing in the second copy?

They're mostly used for corporate returns where there tend to be a lot of last minute changes, regular processing is slow, and amended returns are a real pain to prepare.

For individual returns, amending is not that hard and the IRS processes most returns within two to three weeks, so it's usually not really possible to do a superseding return unless you catch the error almost immediately. I assume that's part of the reason they don't make it more widely available, but also there's a security risk. There's already a lot of identity theft, and it would only get worse if they accepted multiple returns per SSN.

You could mail it in, but it has to get there before they process the e-filed return. I don't know what happens if they receive a paper return that supersedes and e-filed return.

 

[SecondCor521]

Thanks, @cathy63, that explains a lot!

 

[pirsquared]

In my experience with IRS simplest is best. With a 1040x there is no question which was the original and which is the correction. No right-hand, left hand type of issues.

Unless there was a compelling reason or advantage, I would go with the more common, expected solution.

This makes a lot of sense. This is what we have decided to do.

Thanks, everyone, for the input!

 

[UpQuark]

I saw on the IRS site a news item from 2022 that included the below paragraph, so it sounds like a superseded return ought to be kind of easy to do?

"Additionally, a new, electronic checkbox has been added for Forms 1040/1040-SR, 1040-NR and 1040-SS/1040-PR to indicate that a superseding return is being filed electronically. A superseded return is one that is filed after the originally filed return but submitted before the due date, including extensions."

IRS: Taxpayers now have more options to correct, amend returns electronically | Internal Revenue Service

IR-2022-130, June 23, 2022 — The Internal Revenue Service announced today that more forms can now be amended electronically. These include people filing corrections to the Form 1040-NR, U.S. Nonresident Alien Income Tax Return and Forms 1040-SS, U.S. Self-Employment Tax Return (Including the...

www.irs.gov

 

[cathy63]

Yes, the IRS added a checkbox flag in the electronic transfer format, but as far as I know, no end-user software has created a way to check that box and e-file the return. Even the IRS' own free filing tool doesn't have it. Free Fillable Forms, which the OP in this thread asked about doesn't have it. TurboTax Desktop doesn't have it.

You can do it in TaxSlayer Pro Desktop and I assume there is other pro software that can do it, but you have to pay someone to do it for you.