Filing Status

[Christian]

A client who lives out of state married in 2013. In filing her return she chose to file mfs listing her husband on her return as required. This year she sent me his info as well. Lo and behold he filed as hoh listing his daughter as his dependent for 2013. The couple lived together as man and wife for less than six months in 2013. I have never encountered this in 30+ years and am wondering if the Service will be sending him a notice down the road disallowing his filing status. Any info would be appreciated.

[kcjenkins]

With today's IRS, no telling.  

[Max W]

I've run into this about a half dozen times.

 

Only once, did the IRS reject the HOH return.

 

The CA FTB is much more likely to call someone on this and has a HOH form

that can be filed with the tax return.  

They send this form out to 90,000 persons every year.  It appears to be random

as I have a client with 3 dependents who got it last year.

She ignored it until she was assessed $1500.

[BulldogTom]

I've run into this about a half dozen times.

 

Only once, did the IRS reject the HOH return.

 

The CA FTB is much more likely to call someone on this and has a HOH form

that can be filed with the tax return.  

They send this form out to 90,000 persons every year.  It appears to be random

as I have a client with 3 dependents who got it last year.

She ignored it until she was assessed $1500.

I generally include that form on my HOH clients.  I feel like I can do it now, or I can wait until they (hopefully) call me in the summer to do it, or I can hear them cry next year when they are too late to get the problem fixed.  It is a PITA to fill it out, but it is easier than having a client claim I did their tax return wrong.

 

Tom

Newark, CA

[Cathy]

Christian,

 

I have heard of taxpayers doing it even to the point of BOTH parents claiming HOH if they have more than one child.  That is ONLY ONE of the reasons the EIC holds the title of the area of the tax code where the majority of the fraud occurs each year (per IRS employees during seminars).

 

For those taxpayers who have only one (1) child, Social Security numbers can be bought this time of year at Wal-Mart (Wal-Mart itself doesn't sell them, people go through the store on their on asking others if they need a SS #).  I can remember where a number could be bought for $50...with inflation, the going rate now in Louisiana has increased to $600 (from what I'm told...I stay out of Wal-Mart this time of year because of those solicitations).

 

Your question as to whether IRS will catch it....probably not.  I have seen it happen too many times..over and over and over again. 

 

Cathy