Where’s Your Form 1040X?
The stress of tax season can translate to mistakes on your federal income tax return which could then cause you to miss out on a tax refund or have you owing money to the IRS when you shouldn’t have.
No matter where you went wrong or how your incorrect federal return impacted you, filing an amended individual income tax return can resolve your dilemma.
If you are looking for help with the IRS, or if you filed a paper return and you’re wondering “where’s my amended return?”, then rest easy. Amended tax returns may take more processing time, and the IRS is required to complete them.
The IRS isn’t the only government agency handling amended returns. If you’re updating a state tax return in California, you may also be wondering when the Franchise Tax Board will finish updating your return. You may also be waiting for the New Jersey Division of Taxation to respond about a requested refund amount.
If you’re looking for support with your amended tax returns, whether state or federal, contact us.
How to Check Your Amended Return Status and Refunds
Go to the IRS’ Where’s My Amended Return tool and follow the automated prompts. You will need your:
Social Security Number or Individual Tax ID Number (ITIN)
Tax Deductions
Zip Code
After you’ve filled in all of your information, you’ll be able to view the status of your amended return as well as your exact requested refund amount.
Decoding the Different Amended Tax Return Statuses
There are a few different results you may get when you check the status of your return. According to the IRS Frequently Asked Questions on Amended Returns page, here’s what each amended status indicates:
Return Received: Your amended return has been received and is being processed. It can take up to 16 weeks to complete return processing.
Return Adjusted: An adjustment has been made to your original return and will result in a tax refund, balance due, or no change to your tax liability, depending on how the correction impacts your tax return.
Return Completed: Your return has been completed, and the IRS is mailing you follow-up information and potentially a replacement check.
The IRS also notes that their Where’s My Amended Return database updates once per day, typically at night, so you can check the system daily to follow the status of your amended return.
Check Your Amended Return Status vs. Check Your Refund Status
If your amended return shows you’re due a refund check, you’re probably wondering where’s my refund? Don’t jump to the first Where’s My Refund tool on IRS.gov.
Normally, you would check your refund status with the Where’s My Refund status tool on IRS.gov. However, that tool is only for original tax returns. If you’re due a refund check, you’ll receive a direct deposit to your financial institution within three to five business days if you requested one. Otherwise, you’ll get a paper check by mail.
Instead, if you’re owed an individual income tax refund check on an amended return, then you’ll need to check the Where’s My Amended Return? tool.Refunds are issued every business day. Allow for extra processing time for amended returns.
I Have Not Received My Amended Tax Refund
The IRS can take 16 weeks to process a tax refund from an amended return. If you have not received your tax refund or credit within that timeframe and you have utilized their ‘Where’s My Amended Return’ tool to check on your amended return status, then call the IRS at 1-866-464-2050 to inquire about your case.
Why so long? Longer processing times are the cost of preventing identity theft. Fraud investigators need to check for any identity-based risks, especially if someone tries to file a 1040X from your mailing address.
