Need help w/ tax year definition

I know this probably sounds crazy but I've always had forms to work with which stated clearly on them what tax year they were for and for the most part have always had someone else handle my taxes.

I have to go back and file an amended return now for financial transactions that took place in 2010.

Which tax return do I need to amend? Would it be the 2010 return or would it be the 2011 return?

My understanding is that the tax return you file is always for the prior year - so a 2011 return would be for Jan to Dec 31, 2010 financials.

Is this correct?

reply to post by ecoparity


Your original deadline to file would have been April 15, 2011. By that date, you would have turned in your paperwork for income earned during the year 2010. You are just over thinking this one.

So you either need:

1.) The paperwork you filed in 2011 for 2010 income or
2.) The paperwork for the tax year 2010

These are the exact same things, just phrased differently. Your tax paperwork should have 2 different dates. One will say something like "Taxes for Year 2010" and the other will say something like "Date Filed 2/15/11"

Just look for those dates, and if your brain is still upset about it, have someone else read it off to you and confirm. (In real life.)

Good luck getting whatever it is sorted out, stuff like that is always stressful.

While I appreciate your response it doesn't really answer the question in the direct way I need. I don't have the original paperwork, that's the problem.

The documents sent to me by the IRS say "TY2011" which I assume means tax year 2011 so would they apply to my 2011 return (Tax return w/ "2011" on it, created with Turbo Tax 2011) or will they actually apply to the 2012 Return?

The documents they sent are missing every bit of info I need, they basically just have the bare bones data on them.