How do you treat IRS changes to a return when you need to amend for unrelated issues?

[MBooks-Tax]

The IRS changed the Child tax credit amounts as well as the amount claimed as refundable tax credit, significantly reducing the refund claimed. We need to amend for an unrelated issue. Do we (a) ignore the IRS changes & work with the originally filed return as is or (b) do we incorporate the IRS changes in the amendment? I'm leaning to (a) but need to be sure. Thank you.

[qbteachmt]

Do you agree or disagree with the IRS changes? Do your additional changes affect what the IRS dealt with, previously?

You would do what applies.

[MBooks-Tax]

Thank you so much for your response! Believe it or not, I am still not clear. I agree with the IRS changes. The proposed modification will increase the refund but with a completely different tax credit from what the IRS changed. Should I include the IRS's changes in the modification? And this also makes me wonder how to deal with IRS changes, generally. Should I have edited the filed return to match the IRS' change whether or not a modification is going to be filed? I've never had the IRS change a filed return before. Should I update my record to include the iRS changes?

[BobKamman · Accepted solution]

Yes, the starting point should be the amounts as changed by IRS.  Not sure this will fly with electronic filing but that doesn't speed processing, despite many who claim otherwise.  

When all else fails, read the Instructions. 

Column A. Enter the amounts from your original return.
However, if you previously amended that return or it was
changed by the IRS, enter the adjusted amounts.

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040x.pdf 

[MBooks-Tax]

Thank you both sooooo much!!!