Need to do an adjustment return for 2023 for a couple who claimed single but are married

Tax Topics
1

So I have a client, Well actually 2, I have been doing thier returns for a few years and just found out this year while doing their return that they got married April 2023. She filed Single last year and He filed Divorced in 2023.

So should I do an adjustment on thier 2023 tax return? If so how? I know that I would merge the two returns together when doing that return for this year, but what do I do for an adjustment for 2023?

I said to him, “You saw your tax return; it says divorced.” You said everything looked good and signed it. These two people always questioned their returns, so they knew what they were doing.

Also, is this going to mess things up when I put them together for this year? Sorry for the silly questions I just have never had this happen to me before. I send out a questionnaire every year also.

Okay thank in advance for any feedback

2

There are several options for changing marital status:

  • complete and submit Form RC65
  • Call 1-800-387-1193
  • On My Account, they can go to the section “Change My Marital Status”

A) Has your marital status changed?

Here is a snippet from the RC65:

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CRA specifies that “You must tell the CRA about any change in marital status by the end of the month following the month your status changed. For example, if your status changes in March, you must tell the CRA by the end of April.” This is to prevent duplication of credits paid and now having to repay any overpayments.

I have one client with two children who was in the same predicament as you, not paying attention to the change in marital status (change to common-law should have occurred in 2022 bus was made in 2023). Like your client, the correction was made a year late. Both partners had high incomes, so no changes to their tax returns (ie: no claim for spousal amount transfers). If there are no monetary changes to the tax return, an adjustment (refile or online) will not be accepted. From my experiences, there has to be some monetary changes before you can re-file a return.

With my client, the change to family income meant overpayments of:

  • CCB: ------- $ 4,242.30;
  • ACFB: -------- 1,621.55;
  • GST/HST: ------ 744.00
  • Total owing: $ 6,607.85

That was a big hit to the pocketbook and is a debt they are still paying off with CRA, mostly through refund transfers to offset the debt.

Hope this is helpful.

3

thanks Kozakworld, this is very helpful. Yup they are not going to be happy because I think the same thing is going to happen to them with the file is re assessed. but not my fault. They never told me and I send out emails.

Same as this year I pulled them together and they both have high income and they both owe this year and when I had completed just his return and he called me on the phone wanting to know why he owes so much money. that is when he asked is it because you filed my wife and I together this year. I SAID WHAT you are married ( me shaking my head ) LOL So when they found out they both owe they are not going to be very happy