Your parents might miss out on certain tax credits if they don’t file taxes married jointly.
They should try and get a different tax preparer for 2019 taxes and see if they can amend the last few years’ returns, if they were married.
If they are low income, see if you can find a VITA center, there are volunteers there helping you with tax preparation.
https://www.irs.gov/individuals/find-a-location-for-free-tax-prep
Thank you for this information I appreciate very much
See if there is any recourse with the CPA, was it a known company? I am not sure why the CPA would pick that status? Everyone has citizenship? Your dad would be able to answer yes, that he is married?
I can’t imagine why or how any qualified tax preparer would let a married person who lives with his wife file as Head of Household. There are very specific criteria for this status, and it’s not for married couples living in the same residence.
Your tax filing status will be flagged by the college…if your FAFSA was filed with your parents marital status as married. You will be asked to tell why that status was used (very specific reasons). If the tax filing status is incorrect, so are other numbers on your financial aid form. The 2018 tax return will need to be amended.
Take the advice above to find help for them to get this done properly.
Unfortunately, I saw this happen many times when I worked at an urban school. I don’t understand how a paid preparer can steer people wrong about filing status, but I know for a fact that more than a few do it. (Typically, they have both spouses file as HofH.)
OP, I used to work in financial aid. Your father will have to file an amended return in order for you to receive federal aid. It is one of the things financial aid officers have to do … they basically have to do the job of the IRS & tell people that they filed incorrectly. Once they are aware of incorrect filing status, they are not allowed to give a student federal aid unless they obtain proof that an amended return has been filed.
I second the suggestion of asking VITA for assistance.
Last year I wanted my mother to go to a VITA program because my father had died during the year and I just wanted to make sure she filed correctly. There were no offices open or appointments taken (this was during the government shut down last dec) until Feb. so the OP may be very delayed if he waits for a VITA office to open. I’m not sure they are trained to do amended returns.
I went with her to the appt at a university. I was unimpressed. I heard a lot of students questioned about the 1098t but no one was asked about books purchased or if the 1098t was correct, whether all the expenses matched up or if any were from a prior tax year. We actually left after 3+ hours and I just did her return myself.
Not everyone can do a return themselves. But tax software is helpful.
I would see if the tax preparer will fix it free of charge and if not, see about the VITA.
We had a problem with HR Block in the past and they amended our return for us for free since it was their mistake.
I’m not sure I would deal with the same tax preparer this Parent initially used. Clearly, that person made a big mistake. Of course, we don’t know what the communication was with the parent regarding this…but head of household…maybe the parent interpreted that to mean he was the head of the household…which isn’t what the tax filing status totally means.
The CPA should have known this.
I agree that finding a free service to amend that return is going to be a challenge this time of the year and time is of the essence.
However, though the mistake was glaring one —HOH vs MFJ, it’s a change of status. According to OP, his mother had no income. It should be a simple change for the tax preparer who has the return in his system. He would just do the 1040x based on already done return with the only change being that of filing status. It would change the standard deduction if used and possible other credits, but That would be the quickest way to do it. Any one else would have to pretty much redo the return in their system or do by hand. Without knowing complexity of the return, can’t say how time consuming this could be
Have your dad contact that tax preparer and have him/her refile it as married filing jointly.
The tax preparer made the mistake, so he/she should do this for free.
I doubt this was a CPA…
@kelsmom is right. Some of the shadier ones are having married parents each file as HOH, which is not correct. We’ve seen some here that face this issue
It’s not always the preparers’ fault. Sometimes a couple may not be married.
Thank you for all the help and support I really appreciate it. Secondly, will my father incur a penalty for amending his HOH status to MFJ?
He will incur a penalty if there is additional tax owed. From what you said, he’s likely to owe no more or even get a refund. The standard deduction for HOH is $18000 and for MFJ is $24000.