Where’s My Amended Return?
Posted by Frank Gogol in Taxes | Updated on June 15, 2023
When you make any errors on your tax return, an amended return can be used to fix the issues. A lot of people are scared to find out what happens if you don’t pay taxes, so they might get confused when filing their taxes. Thus, mistakes are bound to happen and you have to file an amended return for that.
Still, some people might be scared to file an amended return because they don’t want to get in trouble with the IRS. At the same time, they don’t know how to track the amended tax return status.
This article presents everything you need to know about tracking your amended tax return, as well as other information you may find useful.
How to Track Your Amended Tax Return
There are two easy methods to track your amended tax return. That being said, if you filed form 1040x for an amended tax return, here are your options for checking the tracking:
Track Online
Tracking online is one of the easiest routes. All you need is a device with an Internet connection.
Then, you can go to https://www.irs.gov and click on the “Where’s My Amended Return” category.
Track by Phone
Another option to track your amended tax return status is by calling 866-464-2050. You can then ask about the status of the process.
Where’s My Amended Return Refund?
If you haven’t received your amended return refund, you may start to panic. Still, keep in mind that, according to the IRS, it can take up to 16 weeks before you receive the tax refund.
But if you have not received it even after this time had passed and you also used the “Where’s My Amended Return” tool to check the status, you should take action. Reach out to the IRS by calling 1-866-464-2050 and you can inquire about the case.
Why Is the Amended Return I’m Tracking Taking So Long?
After filing an amended return, you may realize that it takes very long for it to process. Usually, the IRS accepts amended returns, so most people do not have to worry about this aspect. But everything may take longer to process because amended returns have to be mailed to the IRS.
So, if you filed an amended return and you have to receive a refund, it may take up to three months for it to reach you. The IRS website allows you to check the amended return status with ease.
The IRS doesn’t always agree with the changes you want to make to an amended return. If this happens to you, then the IRS will make sure to send you a notice of claim disallowance, which is a denial letter or a more formal letter.
Of course, you do not have to simply accept this if you believe the amended return changes are necessary. You can either appeal the decision of the IRS or take this case to court.
People do not always know why the amended return was denied by the IRS, to begin with, as the amended return denial notices tend to be quite vague. If you don’t want this amended return process to take even longer, you should ask a trusted IRS expert for help.
When to Check Your Amended Return Tracking
It’s important to know when to check the amended return tracking to see any progress for your case. It may take up to 3 weeks for your amended return to show up in the IRS system after mailing it to them. Then, it may take up to 16 weeks for the processing.
What Is Needed to Check Your Amended Return Tracking
Bear in mind that you’ll need some personal information to check your amended return tracking. Information that you must use includes your zip code, date of birth, and social security number.
What Is an Amended Tax Return?
An amended tax return refers to a form that people can file to correct potential mistakes they made to a tax return from a previous year. For many people, this may be a good thing, as they may get a tax return advantage. Individuals can claim a better tax status like a refund.
Some people may decide to file amended returns when they misreported tax credits or earnings, for instance. You have three years to file tax return mistakes with the Internal Revenue Service.
The IRS may sometimes do tax return audits very randomly, even for returns that go as far as six years ago. In case they discover or simply believe that someone submitted a fraudulent return on purpose, reopening an auditing file has no statute of limitations.
To file amended tax returns, people can use IRS form 1040X.
Why It’s a Good Idea to Amend Your Taxes If Possible
Why would you consider amending your taxes? Well, there are a few reasons for that.
Filing Status Change
You have the chance to change your filing status to another one that is better as long as you meet the right circumstances. For example, you may have qualified to file as Head of Household but you filed as single instead. Your standard deduction takes a $3,000 blow in this situation.
So, you can file an amended return and fix things.
Correcting Mistakes or Omissions
If you made any mistakes on your return and you only discovered them after filing it, you can use an amended return to fix this. Perhaps you left some income off the return, for instance. Correcting any error or omission is necessary.
This should be done whether you will owe more to the IRS in taxes or if you should receive a larger return. The IRS will end up sending a CP2000 notice to you if you don’t amend the return but owe more in taxes. What’s worse is that this would also bring some extra penalties.
Correcting or Claiming a Credit
Many times, credits are tied to the dependents of the return. However, some people claim credits that they shouldn’t have claimed, even if they have the right dependents. Amending the return can help them fix this mistake.
Therefore, they can receive the full amount of refund without getting a tax bill afterward.
Deduction Changes
If you claimed some expenses incorrectly in order to itemize the deductions or you left out or included any dependent by accident, amending the return is the right thing to do. This way, you can fix the errors and prevent any issues that may arise later. Such problems could include an IRS audit or notices, but the former is something you don’t want to deal with.
Read More
- Why Was No Federal Income Tax Withheld From My Paycheck?
- Why Do I Owe Taxes?
- Why Do I Owe State Taxes?
- Are You Exempt from Federal Withholding?
- How to File Taxes With No Income
- Can You File Taxes Without a W2?
- H1B Taxes: Everything You Need to Know
Final Thoughts
If you’re a taxpayer, you already know why we pay taxes, but you may not know what an amended return is and what purpose it serves. Not that you’ve read this post, you should know why you should file one if possible and how to track the process. Don’t hesitate to file an amended return if you think you made any mistakes when filing your taxes last year.
