Filed paper 2019 tax return by mail in December 2020, do I have to wait for that to be processed before submitting 2020 tax return?

[Yamhouse]

Hi all,

So I helped my boyfriend file his 2019 tax return but I mailed it in December 2020 due to some issues where an employer he worked for in 2019 didn’t send a w-9 to him and we had to fill out that substitute w-9 form. The lateness was my fault. He is due a refund so from what I have read the lateness of filing doesn’t negatively affect him. 

My question is whether or not I need to wait for him to receive his direct deposit, indicative of the mailed 2019 tax return being processed, before e-filing his 2020 tax return (we expect him to receive his w-9 (edit: I mean w-2)  from 2020 employers)?

[xmasbaby0]

No you do not have to wait for the 2019 return.  It will likely take months.   You can go ahead and file 2020.

[VolvoGirl · Accepted solution]

First of all I won't get into the W9 stuff.  You don't report a W9 on your tax return.  So he probably got a 1099Misc for that income.

if you didn't file 2019 until December then when you file 2020 you will need to enter a 0 for the 2019 AGI to verify your return since they didn't get 2019 on time.

[Yamhouse]

Sorry if I wrote w9 I meant w2. Ive been working with w9s at work. Thank you for your help!

[laronna]

I am in the same boat. I understand that I need to enter 0 for the AGI, but do I indicate that I filed? Or do I indicate I didn't file since it hasn't been processed?