It says on the tax home page "Ready To Mail" not sure what that meant but why can't I track my refund? Why did the AI said that I haven't filed my return this year yet?

[upech]

I e-filed my tax return for the first time since April 4th and it's been more than a month that I still haven't receive my refund yet. The most frustrating thing is I can't tracks it either on both IRS and TurboTax website. The AI Assistance on TurboTax said: "It seems like you haven't filed your taxes yet this year" but that doesn't make sense when my home page says: "Way to go, You filed your 2021 taxes." and "FEDERAL PRINTED" "READY TO MAIL" Did I miss something? What else am I supposed to do?

[xmasbaby0]

“Ready to mail”or “Printed”  means that your tax return has not been filed.  Either you could not e-file for some reason , or you chose to file by mail.  OR if you really did already mail your return, the software does not have any way to know that you put your return in an envelope and took it to a mailbox, so it will always say “ready to mail” in your online account.

TurboTax does not mail your return for you.  You have to print it, sign it, and mail it yourself.  When you mail a tax return, you need to sign it where it says "Sign Here" and write in the date you signed it by the word "Date".  Attach copies of your W-2 and any other documents that show taxes withheld to the left side of the papers where it says "Attach Forms..."

When you print your return, it will print with filing instructions that tell you where to mail it.  Pay careful attention to the address you mail your return to —federal and state returns do not get mailed to the same place.

It is not required, but is a good idea, to use a mailing service that will track your return or provide you with a receipt showing that the IRS got it--such as Fedex, UPS, or certified mail.  It will take about 4 weeks and then you can track the status of your return at the IRS website.

You can print your return by following the instructions below

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/printing/help/how-do-i-print-and-mail-my-return-in-turbotax-online...

To send your tax return by mail and get a receipt to see that the IRS and/or your state received it:

https://www.usps.com/taxes/welcome.htm

To track your Federal refund:   

https://www.irs.gov/refunds

To track your state refund:    

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899433

On the IRS site you are also offered the use of an app called IRS2Go

To change to e-filing:

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/e-file/help/how-do-i-change-from-mail-to-e-file-in-turbotax-online...

[mesquitebean]

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@ upech wrote:
I e-filed my tax return for the first time since April 4th and it's been more than a month that I still haven't receive my refund yet. The most frustrating thing is I can't tracks it either on both IRS and TurboTax website. The AI Assistance on TurboTax said: "It seems like you haven't filed your taxes yet this year" but that doesn't make sense when my home page says: "Way to go, You filed your 2021 taxes." and "FEDERAL PRINTED" "READY TO MAIL" Did I miss something? What else am I supposed to do?

---

If the status at the Tax Home says  "Ready to mail", it has NOT been efiled.  TurboTax thinks you plan to print, sign, and postal mail the return.   If you didn't physically print and postal mail it, then it has not been filed at all.  It sounds like you may not have gone to the final screen to transmit the return by efile.

If you haven't filed at all (i.e., didn't file by mail), you can still efile it.  You can open the return interview back up,  and change the filing method to efile.  

• Log into your account, and at the Tax Home or in the section "Your Tax Returns & Documents" for 2021, look for a link "Add a State."
• Click on "Add a State."  (That doesn't really add one; that's just to open the return.)
• Once the return is open, go through the REVIEW section to be sure everything is still in order.
• Then go to the FILE section, go through the screens there, and change the filing method to efile.
• Then continue on answering all the remaining screens and at the final step click a big orange button "Transmit Returns Now."

This FAQ may also have some info that will help:

FAQ:  How do I change from mail to efile in Online TurboTax?

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/e-file/help/how-do-i-change-from-mail-to-e-file-in-turbotax-online...

[upech]

@xmasbaby0 @mesquitebean I see, so I won't have to mail it if I change it to e-file right? It'll mail the documents to IRS electronically and then I'll have to print my copies of the documents myself later right? And it'll take less time to process that way?

[fanfare]

@upech 

To e-File you must know and enter the AGI amount from your 2020 tax return.

OR

IRS says:  AGI = 0  (zero) may work if processing of your 2020 return was delayed,

or you tell TurboTax you did not file at all last year.

[mesquitebean]

---

@ upech wrote:

@ xmasbaby0 @ mesquitebean I see, so I won't have to mail it if I change it to e-file right? It'll mail the documents to IRS electronically and then I'll have to print my copies of the documents myself later right? And it'll take less time to process that way?

---

Efiling is the recommended way to file.   If you have not filed anything at all (i.e., if you haven't printed and mailed the return), you can go back into your return interview to the FILE section and change the filing method to efile.  You can follow the steps that were outlined in my comment above, and a FAQ link was also provided there for more info.

If you efile, be sure you go all the way to the end and click a big orange button Transmit My Returns Now.  

  Yes, efiled returns are normally processed much faster; most are processed within 21 days, but occasionally it can take longer.  A paper return can take several weeks to several months to process.  Efiling also avoids any problems with the mail, and efiling also avoids an IRS agent having to manually enter a paper return into their system.

If you choose to efile, then there is nothing to mail.  Yes, you can print out a copy for your records.   It's a good idea to view/print out a copy prior to filing to make sure everything is correct and like you want it. 

After efiling, you should watch for 2 emails over the subsequent 24-48 hours--the first one saying the return has been transmitted, and a later one saying if the return was accepted or rejected for processing by the IRS.  If you are efiling a state return, too, then you should also get an email about the state return.

[kdalber]

It says ready to mail but then it says i have not filed yet

[xmasbaby0]

@kdalber

“Ready to mail”or “Printed”  means that your tax return has not been filed.  Either you could not e-file for some reason , or you chose to file by mail.  OR if you really did already mail your return, the software does not have any way to know that you put your return in an envelope and took it to a mailbox, so it will always say “ready to mail” in your online account.

TurboTax does not mail your return for you.  You have to print it, sign it, and mail it yourself.  When you mail a tax return, you need to sign it where it says "Sign Here" and write in the date you signed it by the word "Date".  Attach copies of your W-2 and any other documents that show taxes withheld to the left side of the papers where it says "Attach Forms..."

When you print your return, it will print with filing instructions that tell you where to mail it.  Pay careful attention to the address you mail your return to —federal and state returns do not get mailed to the same place.

It is not required, but is a good idea, to use a mailing service that will track your return or provide you with a receipt showing that the IRS got it--such as Fedex, UPS, or certified mail.  Mailed returns are taking about six month to be processed by the IRS.   When someone at the IRS opens your return and enters it into the system, you can track the status of your return at the IRS website.

You can print your return by following the instructions below

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/printing/help/how-do-i-print-and-mail-my-return-in-turbotax-online...

To send your tax return by mail and get a receipt to see that the IRS and/or your state received it:

https://www.usps.com/taxes/welcome.htm

To track your Federal refund:   

https://www.irs.gov/refunds

To track your state refund:    

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899433

On the IRS site you are also offered the use of an app called IRS2Go

To change to e-filing:

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/e-file/help/how-do-i-change-from-mail-to-e-file-in-turbotax-online...

[NCperson]

@kdalber - any reason you can't efile? that should taks 3-5 weeks to process and paper returns will take 6-9 MONTHS from the time it is received by the IRS.