Check the Status of Your Amended Return You can check the status of your amended return with the Where’s My Amended Return tool. It may take up to 3 weeks for your amended return to show in our system. Can I file my Amended Return electronically? If you need to amend your 2019 or 2020 Forms 1040 or 1040-SR you can now file the Form 1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return electronically using available tax software products. What are some reasons that an Amended Return cannot be filed electronically? Amended Returns must be filed by paper for the following reasons: Only Tax Year 2019 and 2020 1040 and 1040-SR returns can be amended electronically at this time. Amended Returns for any other tax years or tax types must be filed by paper. There must be a record of an "original" electronically filed return for Tax Year 2019 or Tax Year 2020. If the original Tax Year 2019 or Tax Year 2020 return was filed by paper, it must be amended by paper. If the Primary Social Security number is different from the one provided on the Original Return, then the Amended Return must be filed by paper. If the Spouse's Social Security number (if applicable) is different from the one provided on the Original Return, then the Amended Return must be filed by paper. If the Filing Status differs from the Filing Status on the Original Return, then the Amended Return must be filed by paper. How do I file my Amended Return electronically? You should contact your preferred tax software provider to verify their participation and for specific instructions needed to submit your amended return and to answer any questions. How many Amended Returns can be filed electronically? Filers will be allowed to electronically file up to three "accepted" Amended Returns. After the third accepted Amended Return, all subsequent attempts will reject. Can I file my Amended return electronically for previous tax years? You can amend tax year 2019 and Tax Year 2020 Forms 1040 and 1040-SR returns electronically at this time. Will filing my Amended Return be processed faster when filed electronically? Currently, the normal processing time of up to 16 weeks also applies to electronically filed Amended Returns. What forms are required with an electronically filed Amended Return? Both the electronic Form 1040 and 1040-SR Amended Returns (with attached Form 1040-X) will require submission of ALL necessary forms and schedules as if it were the Original 1040 or 1040-SR submission, even though some forms may have no adjustments. When electronically filing Form 1040-X , is a new Form 8879 required? A new Form 8879 is required each time an Amended Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR is electronically filed. Are two Form 8879s required when filing an electronic Amended Return (one for the 1040-X, one for the Amended 1040)? Only one Form 8879 is required. When electronically filing Amended Returns, if a field on Form 1040 Amended Return is blank, should the corresponding field on the Form 1040-X Amended Return also be blank or should a zero be entered? For electronically filed Amended Returns: If an amount in a field on the Form 1040 or 1040-SR is blank, then the corresponding field on the Form 1040-X must also be left blank. If there is a zero in a field on the Form 1040 or 1040-SR, then the corresponding field on the Form 1040-X must also contain a zero. Is direct deposit available for electronically filed Form 1040-X? Direct deposits are not allowed at this time for Amended Returns. Can a Form 8888 Allocation of Refund (Including Savings Bond Purchases) be filed with an Amended Return? Page 2 of the Form 8888 Instructions states "Don't attach Form 8888 to Form 1040-X. A refund on an amended return can't be directly deposited to an account or used to buy savings bonds." Where do I mail a paper check for an electronic Amended Return and should I use a Form 1040-V Payment Voucher? A Form 1040-V Payment Voucher should be used when mailing a paper check for payment made on an electronically filed Amended Return. Please use Form 1040-V instructions which provides the mailing address for sending paper checks. How can I check on the status of my electronic filed Amended Return? If you file your amended return electronically, you can use the Where's My Amended Return? online tool to check the status of your amended return. How soon will the Where's My Amended Return application be updated for checking the status of an electronically filed Amended Return? Filers can check the status of a paper or electronically filed Form 1040-X Amended Return using the Where's My Amended Return (WMAR) online tool or the toll-free telephone number 866-464-2050 three weeks after filing the return. Both tools are available in English and Spanish. What is the best and fastest way for me to get information about an amended return? Use Where's My Amended Return? or call our automated toll-free number 866-464-2050. The application has the most up-to-date information available Can I get the status of an amended return for multiple tax years? Where's My Amended Return? can get you the status of your amended returns for the current tax year and up to three prior tax years. How can I get confirmation you received my amended return? You can get confirmation through Where's My Amended Return? How long will it take to process an amended return? A Form 1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return can take up to 16 weeks to process once we receive it. Will calling the IRS help me get my amended return processed any faster? Calling us will not speed up the processing time of your amended return. Our phone and walk-in representatives can only research the status of your amended return 16 weeks or more after you've mailed it; or if Where's My Amended Return? itself has directed you to contact us. How will I know you've received my amended return and are processing it? Where's My Amended Return? follows the processing stages of your amended return from receipt until completion. It will tell you if your return is in received, adjusted, or completed status. What is happening when my amended return's status shows as received? We've received your amended return. We are processing it. It can take up to 16 weeks to complete processing. What is happening when my amended return's status shows as adjusted? We've made an adjustment to your account. The adjustment will result in a refund, balance due, or in no tax change. What is happening when my amended return's status shows as completed? We've completed processing your return. We've mailed you all the information connected to its processing. How often does the tool update? Where's My Amended Return? updates once a day, usually at night. You can check it daily. It's been longer than 16 weeks since you received my amended return and it hasn't been processed yet. Why? Some amended returns take longer than 16 weeks for several reasons. Delays may occur when the return needs further review because it: Has errors Is incomplete Isn't signed Is returned to you requesting more information Includes a Form 8379, Injured Spouse Allocation Is affected by identity theft or fraud Delays in processing also can happen when an amended return needs: Routing to a specialized area Clearance by the bankruptcy area within the IRS Review and approval by a revenue office Review of an appeal or a requested reconsideration of an IRS decision We will contact you whenever we need more information to process your amended return. What types of amended returns can I find out about using the tool? You can find out about amended returns mailed to the IRS processing operations. Form 1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return tells you where you need to mail your return. Where's My Amended Return? cannot give you the status of the following returns or claims: Carryback applications and claims Injured spouse claims A Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return marked as an amended or corrected return (not a Form 1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return) An amended return with a foreign address A business tax amended return An amended return processed by a specialized unit—such as our Examination Department or our Bankruptcy Department. Can I use Where's My Amended Return? to find out about the status of my Form 1040 for the current tax year? No, it doesn't have information about a current year return or refund. Use our IRS2Go mobile app or Where's My Refund to find out about your current year tax return. You can start checking on the status of your current year tax return within 24 hours after we've received your e-filed return or 4 weeks after you've mailed us a paper return. The application and tool are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You may find the related tax information useful: Tax Topic 308, Amended Returns Tax Topic 152, Refund Information Tax Topic 202, Tax Payment Options Tax Topic 203, Reduced Refund
