So can I amend my 2014 tax return?

[ButterflyBlood]

I got my W-2 today and was quite pleased to see my refund go up by $300, thanks to the "DD" category in box 12a. Health insurance expenses are now more deductible thanks to Obamacare. Thanks Obama!

However this also means I forgot to put it in last year. Probably a common mistake as a new thing. Any way to amend my year old return and get another check?

[sharp_stick]

1. Sure, I think you've got three years

go here for some information:

https://www.irs.gov/uac/Nine-Facts-on-filing-an-Amended-Return

[ButterflyBlood]

2. Thanks

After analyzing it a bit more it appears it doesn't matter, I still entered my correct amount of taxable income in the appropriate box even without noting the exemption. My refund went up because my income did too (largely due to thanks to the calendar anomaly of 2015 I received 27 checks instead of 26), but I didn't enter a higher bracket.

Still good to know.

[jmowreader]

3. I'm surprised you didn't get a little note from the IRS

The first year the Making Work Pay credit existed, I figured it was like EIC and there'd be no way I'd qualify for it because I don't have any kids. So, naturally, I left it off my return. A couple weeks later, I got a letter from the IRS: "you qualify for this, we worked it in for you and you get $800 more back than you thought you were going to get."

I really want to know: Would it be so hard for the IRS to come up with a different envelope design for letters that don't contain bad news? Maybe keep the scary-looking brown one for the bad-news letters, and get some white ones printed with a patriotic tableau front and back for the letters you want to get?