First time posting on /biz/ so I'm hoping any offense i bring to any of you is through the content i share, and not the terms I use to share it.
I fucked up. I've known for a while that I've been walking a tightrope over disaster with no real end in sight, and now I'm scared I mightve fallen on the deep end with taxes.
My parents think I'm going to college, and I'm not. My mother did her tax returns and needed tuition statements from colleges I did not attend in order to finish filing her return. I made some phony statements in paint that were passable enough that she used them. I tried to edit out the info without her knowing, and failed. She filed her taxes online with the false tuition information a few hours ago. The site she filed her taxes on has a ways to amend returns that have already been submitted, but require a 24-48 period to accept or reject the forms. Is there anything I can do to keep my family and/or myself out of jail. If it comes to my family never trusting me and hating my guts, I can stand that.
Easiest solution is tell her before the amending period is over so she can fix it.
>>1113206
As much as you might get paranoid and feel shitty I'd just wait it out and assume for the best.
Unless your parents make 250k+ and e-filed you likely wont get audited and no one will ever pay attention or give a shit.
fraud of this nature is incredibly commonplace and most people put less effort into it.
>>1113216
it was e-filed. though our income certainly isnt that high, should i still be concerned. As Ive managed to become a horrible scumbag up to this point, I've managed to collect my mother's personal info and may be able to go online, log in using this info, and amend the report without my parents knowing. (if I'm lucky anyway) is it still better to just wait and let it blow over?
>>1113215
Im very close to doing this tomorrow. i feel like if i try to do it late at night while shes drunk and sleepy, things will be significantly worse. i dont want to get her drunk enough that she wont remember it happening (i dont know how much she'd have to drink and dont want to poison her trying)
>>1113218
Just wait it out. Your chances of getting audited are very low and get lower every year with the IRS budget not matching the rate of taxes to be processed.
That being said stop being a shitbag and do something with your life. Thats the real issue here.
>>1113223
Thanks then. You have my word (for what it's worth to a stranger) that I'm changing starting some hours ago. trying to get hired at any local place. gonna find a trade skill i can learn since college hasnt worked for me. tell my folks I love em every day. Gonna try my best to keep this dark secret away from my family though. Im just too much of a scared child to let it go.
>>1113229
i want to mention though that the information about tuition increased the return amount by about $1,100 dollars. Im worried a number like that will still raise a few alarms
>>1113216
>>1113223
I really wish people like you would stop posting advice on the internet. You have no fucking clue, but you repeat the same thing over and over until OP gets deluded into a false sense of security because you gave him the answer he was hoping for.
The IRS does not need to audit someone's return to find fraud like this. Like many items on a return, your education expenses are reported to the IRS by the school.
>What is Form 1098-T, Tuition Statement, and how do I get it?
>The educational institution is required to file a Form 1098-T, Tuition Statement, with the IRS and provide a copy to the student when there is a reportable transaction.
https://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Education-Credits:-Questions-and-Answers
So the IRS is easily going to see that mommy claimed a deduction for education expenses but ... ruh-roh ... there't no Form 1098-T from the school that matches! So the IRS computers automatically print a letter to mommy saying there's an issue with the return.
It's not an audit. It's an inquiry and a proposed correction. Mommy either accepts the change and pays the taxes due -- plus all those nasty penalties and interest -- or mommy sends the IRS proof that the tuition was paid. But ... ruh roh ... your proof is fake. So now mommy's at risk of committing actual tax fraud!
So, kid, you got two choices:
1. Man up and tell your mother the truth so she can file an amended return before April 15.
or
2. Put your mommy at risk of not only delinquent taxes, penalties, and interest, but criminal charges as well.
Your choice.
>>1113239
does the amended return need to be done by mail or can it be done electronically on the service where she first filed her return
>>1113244
Since I have no idea what service she used to file her original return, I can't answer you question. But you file file a 1040-X however you fucking want.
>>1113229
>Gonna try my best to keep this dark secret away from my family though.
That's what got you into this mess faggot. Man up and tell your mother before she (or you, more likely) goes to jail because of your dumb ass.
You're going to get yelled at and they're never going to trust you again (as they shouldn't), but at least no one will risk going to jail for tax fraud.
>>1113256
okay. she's already asleep, so ill tell her in the morning
>>1113257
i managed to get the documents needed to send in an amendment and it requires a cost around 1100 dollars. so yeah im gonna have to tell her. Qutie the ditch I've dug but knowing that there isnt another option almost brings me to peace. see you in a few years next time i can get internet, and thanks for the tips. Write on my gravestone that I dont like money, but love lying
>>1113239
My wife went to cosmetology school and on my taxes I put in an amount I estimated for tuition and got about an extra 2k in my refund.
I never had documents and never even scanned them on my return.
I think you vastly overestimate the accuracy of the IRS's systems but whatever man keep being a dick
>>1113273
And the school reported the payments to the IRS. So when you filed your return, the numbers matched (to within a reasonable rounding error). You never needed to prove you paid the expenses because the IRS already received proof from the school.
It's not being a dick to tell you that you're wrong and that you should never advise people about taxes. You don't know anything about taxes, and you obviously aren't qualified to help people (as evidenced by your terrible answers).
If you think I should be nicer in explaining this to you, check the URL of this website. Notice how it says "4chan" and not "reddit"? Now fuck off, idiot.
>>1113280
haha fair enough man you're right. thanks for the lesson
