Can I amend my Federal tax return and get a refund?

If you made a mistake on your Federal expat tax return several years ago, you may have realized that you could have excluded additional income, which meant that you overpaid on your taxes and may be due a refund. However, whether or not you can actually claim the refund will depend on when you filed the original return. The IRS has a statute of limitations in place that limits the length of time when a taxpayer can claim a refund. For those who filed a 1040, you have 3 years after the due date of the return or 3 years after the date the return was actually filed, whichever is later. For more information, the IRS website has a list of specific rules.

If you think you need to file an amended return and have questions about whether or not you can claim a refund, make sure to speak with your Greenback accountant about the specifics of your situation.