Forced to mail taxes

[Melanin Ritch]

I completed my taxes early in February 2021. I didn’t work at all in 2020. I had to use my 2019 taxes. As I was done, it told me to Mail my taxes. Why?

 Also, being that I turned in forms via Mail early, does the IRS automatically update my numbers for the child tax credit via the new stimulus package just approved???

[Anonymous]

Mailed in tax returns typically take 8-12 weeks to process  Nothing about this tax season is typical, however, so you can expect a much longer process.  Also, the child tax credit is not yet approved.  The president still has to sign it before it is the law.  We all expect he will, but it isn't law just yet.  It will take a few weeks for the IRS to go through the law and implement policies and procedures and get payments set up.  It is likely they will go with the most current data they have on file for you at that time - it really could go either way if you recently filed by mail 

[gloriah5200]

IRS e-file guidelines state, if you have no current year income, then you cannot e-file the return.  That is why you had to paper file it.

Regarding the American Rescue Plan-

“This has not yet become law.”

https://blog.turbotax.intuit.com/tax-news/american-rescue-plan-what-does-it-mean-for-you-and-a-third...

If it becomes law, after signed by the President, then the IRS will have to go into the IRC to make changes and then update their systems and then put the information out to software developers, who will in turn have to make changes to their software which may require IRS approval.

We will have to wait and see what happens to determine what, if any, new course of action should be taken by taxpayers.