How do I confirm that the IRS received my paper mailed tax return?

[fanfare]

If you put a valid mailing address and correct postage, IRS has your tax return.

There is a big backlog of paper .

[Mzscorpio83]

How do I know if the IRS got my mailed in 2021 taxes y'all not telling me how

[DoninGA]

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@Mzscorpio83 wrote:

How do I know if the IRS got my mailed in 2021 taxes y'all not telling me how

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If you did not use a tracking service from the US Post Office when you mailed the tax return you will not know if it was received by the IRS.  However, most mailed tax returns are received but the IRS does not send any type of confirmation.  If you have a tax refund just keep checking the IRS website for the status - https://www.irs.gov/refunds

IRS website for processing status - https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-operations-during-covid-19-mission-critical-functions-continue

As of April 15, 2022, we had 8.7 million unprocessed individual returns which include returns received before 2022, and new tax year 2021 returns. Of these, 2.9 million returns require error correction or other special handling, and 5.8 million are paper returns waiting to be reviewed and processed. 

[Jmccombs59]

How do I know it's received my taxes

[SweetieJean]

@Jmccombs59  See answer directly above.  Also see:

Taxpayers Who Filed Paper Returns Could Wait 6 Months for a Refund (businessinsider.com)

[PCollen]

I mailed in our 2021 1040 and supporing documents 2/28/22. We are due a sizeable refund because my wife overestimated  the excess taxes she had withheld from her paycheck. As of today, 5/11/22, we have not received a refund and haven't heard Jack Schitt from the IRS. The "Where is my Refund" IRS app says it can't give any information on the status of our refund. I think that the GOV is slow-rolling refunds and using the money instead to fund social spending programs.

[macuser_22]

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@PCollen wrote:

I mailed in our 2021 1040 and supporing documents 2/28/22. We are due a sizeable refund because my wife overestimated  the excess taxes she had withheld from her paycheck. As of today, 5/11/22, we have not received a refund and haven't heard Jack Schitt from the IRS. The "Where is my Refund" IRS app says it can't give any information on the status of our refund. I think that the GOV is slow-rolling refunds and using the money instead to fund social spending programs.

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Haven't you seen the news on NBC,CBS,ABC about this?      The IRS is so back logged on mailed returns that they still have more then a million 2020 unprocessed returns (well over a year late).    The IRS must pay interest on any refund over 45 days late and that is amounting millions of dollars.

[fanfare]

" to fund social spending programs."

@PCollen 

If Treasury wants to fund spending programs they ask the Congress for more borrowing authority.

So far, so good.

They don't need to "grab" your measly refund for this.

HOWEVER

Last year Treasury was running low on money, and at the time I would have agreed with you.

[domenicjon]

hello im curious i  thought 2019 taxes had already been filed i really messed up... so i filed them 6 weeks ago by mail... and have not received anything at all what so ever saying they have been received i was relying on the refund ... wouldnt the irs tell me that they received them even if they decide to keep them for being 3 years and 3 days late??? ive received nothing

[NCperson]

@domenicjon - just be patient.  the IRS is woefully behind on processing paper returns.  Expect a wait or 6-9 months.  Chances are high they have them..... the first clue will be a transaction record on your transcript at IRS.GOV.

The deadline for requesting a refund for 2019 tax return filing is July 15, 2023, so you filed well within the deadline.  Just a lot of patience is now required. 

[Kareneilleen]

How do I confirm my tax form was received 

[xmasbaby0]

@Kareneilleen  If you mailed your return, the only way to confirm that the IRS received it is to use a mailing service that tracks it like certified mail so that you get a confirmation that it reached the IRS.   Otherwise you may wait for months for the IRS to open your envelope and enter the information into the system..  Once the return has been entered, you will be able to track your refund on the IRS refund site.

Or...did you e-file?

Did you e-file?  Did you click a big orange button that said “Transmit my returns now?”

When you e-file your federal return you will receive two emails from TurboTax.  The first one will say that your return was submitted.  The second email will tell you if your federal return was accepted or rejected.  If you e-filed a state return, there will be a third email to tell you if the state accepted or rejected your state return.

First, check your e-file status to see if your return was accepted: 

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/efile-status-lookup/

If the IRS accepted it, what does it say here?  

https://www.irs.gov/refunds         

  Or does your account say “Ready to Mail?”

Note:  If it says “Ready to Mail” or “Printed” that means YOU have to mail it yourself.  TurboTax does not mail your tax return for you.

[ton06]

Sent paper work for refund in April an no response 

[xmasbaby0]

@ton06 Sorry, but you are going to have a long wait.

MAILED RETURNS

https://www.businessinsider.com/taxpayers-filing-paper-returns-wait-6-months-tax-refund-2022-4#:~:te...

IRS link pertaining to processing of 2021 returns:

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-operations-during-covid-19-mission-critical-functions-continue#coll...

 It can take weeks  (or a LOT longer since the IRS is severely backlogged) for anything to show up on the IRS site when you mail a tax return.

If  you mail a tax return (or a payment) to the IRS, it is a good idea to use a mailing service that will track it like UPS or certified mail so you will know it was received.

When you mail a tax return, you need to attach any documents showing tax withheld, such as your W-2’s or any 1099’s. 

TurboTax will not know anything about your mailed return, and will continue to show “Ready to Mail” on your account.  TurboTax will not know that you put your tax return in an envelope and took it to a mailbox.  TurboTax does not get updates on mailed  (or e-filed) returns.

When the IRS opens its mail and begins to process mailed returns you can check the status on the IRS site. https://www.irs.gov/refunds

State returns have to be mailed to the state.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899433-how-do-i-track-my-state-refund

If you are wondering if you should send your return again——the IRS does not want you to file a second time.   Putting two tax returns into the system at the same time can lead to confusion and even more delays.   If you did not use tracking and do not know if the return was received—-you have to make your own judgment call and decide if you want to risk further delay by sending the return again.

[ton06]

How do I know if the irs received my paperwork