I was wondering if anyone can provide some guidance. I tried to efile over the weekend and found out that my wife's DOB is incorrect at the SSA. We know exactly what the incorrect DOB is after going through some old records. Since this is the first time we are efiling, it hasn't been an issue. I just printed the return and was looking over it. There is no mention of our DOBs on it at all... so it seems the efile check with the SSA database is independent of anything to do with the IRS... We are not of age to get any benefits from SSA, medicare etc... Do we have any options aside from paper filing?
Could we use the "incorrect" DOB to get the efile done and then go to the SSA to correct the DOB? Thoughts?
The Social Security Administration (SSA) shares DOBs and other information with IRS. IRS refers to this as DM-1, or Data Master 1, information. Years ago the information sharing process was tape-driven. Today it's done over high speed data lines; I think they're called T-1 lines. Your and your wife's dates of birth do not get listed anyplace on the tax forms but they are entered into the tax software, usually in the Background or Personal Information Worksheet. The tax software uses the DOBs to determine eligibility for various age-based tax benefits. Even though the DOBs do not get entered on the tax forms themselves, they are transmitted with the e-filed data and IRS uses them to validate the names and social security numbers. IRS wants you to e-file because e-filed tax returns process much more efficiently and it's in your interest as well because the error rate on accepted e-filed returns is less than 1% versus 20% or more on paper-filed returns. About half of the errors on paper-filed returns are made by taxpayers and half by IRS data entry clerks. If you know the erroneous DOB that SSA has on file for your wife and using that DOB doesn't compromise any tax benefits to which you are entitled, you should enter that DOB (the erroneous one) into your tax software and go ahead and e-file your return. If there are no other errors, IRS should acknowledge acceptance of your tax return and process it. Wait about a month after you file your 2006 tax return and take (your wife probably will need to go in person) a certified copy of your wife's birth certificate to your local SSA office and have them correct her DOB in their records. Once the DOB is corrected with SSA, you do not need to notify IRS as the weekly DM-1 update IRS gets from SSA will correct IRS' records to match SSA's. You should then be able to e-file your 2007 return next year using your wife's correct DOB. I think I know what I'm talking about as my work involves dealing with issues like this on a day-to-day basis. Frederick Lorca
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