Amended Return taking FOREVER

[savannahjohnson1994]

I helped my fiance file his Amended Return on April 14th and we mailed it in that day. The "Where's My Amended Return" still says it's unavailable. Why could this be happening? Should I send another copy of his amended return?

Help!!!

[rjs]

It's happening because the IRS is currently not processing any tax returns that are filed by mail, which includes all amended returns, because of the Covid-19 pandemic. When they start to process them again they will have reduced staff and a big backlog, so it will be a long time before your fiance's amended return is processed, or even shows up on "Where's My Amended Return."

Do not send another copy. That will only cause confusion.

[Brittanyellis]

They are not even taking them yet unless they where sent electronically which I was told they didnt do amended like that I was told by mrs Blackburn at the govs office that it may be Nov or Dec if not longer cause they have so many people to do and of course we r the last ones this is bull **bleep** I think there's my taxes I have t gotten het nor my stimulus  money or my unemployment I mean come the hell on people give the ones like me who bust their a** a break I'm broke and homeless now thanks alot

[beverleyhermann]

thank you - I had the same question and now I feel better (not happy - but better)....

[Critter]

Well since amended returns USUALLY take 4 months to process then add on the 2-3 months the IRS was shut down then Thanksgiving or Christmas sounds right ... you can track the return when it does get into the system here ... look only once a week ...  https://www.irs.gov/filing/wheres-my-amended-return

[Louisegoodnight21112]

I got a letter I missed my husband marketplace ins. So I had received a 1095-A and form 8962 and it suggested mailing and that was mailed 03/11/20 and today is 6/22/20 and it keeps saying nothing is in their computers. One associate said maybe I should try refiling duetdue to so many doors that had closed due to covid19 so can I  refile they said which ever comes first would be honored the other will cancel out if found. 8962 and 1095-A where I originally filed my taxes and that was turbo tax. This was my first year filing our taxes solo

[macuser_22]

Amended returns typically take 4 months to process but this year after a 10 week COVID-19 shutdown and the IRS was not even opening incoming mail, they have a huge backlog so this year it might take 6-9 moths or longer. If mailed in March I would not expect anything before September or later.

[DawnC]

The problem is that amended returns have to be manually processed and there has been no one at the IRS processing manual returns since about the time you received the original letter.  There is no need to re-file right now as they still are not processing manual returns, so even if you re-file, you will still be waiting.  And refiling will likely add to the delay time.   Keep checking the Where's My Amended Return, but do not expect to see anything anytime soon.  You have 3 years to file the amendment so I would not rush to duplicate the amendment to only have it sit like the first one.  Hopefully they will resume normal operations soon and clear out the backlog which I can only imagine the size of.

[DawnC]

https://www.irs.gov/filing/wheres-my-amended-return

[rjs]

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@DawnC wrote:

Hopefully they will resume normal operations soon and clear out the backlog which I can only imagine the size of.

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Here's something to help your imagination. In a news article a few days ago, an IRS deputy commissioner was quoted as saying "We currently have about 11 million pieces of mail that are unopened."

[Critter]

Here is another image ... the IRS gets enough mail each year (all the offices combined)  to fill the the superdome in new orleans 10 times over and right now there are dozens of trucks full of unopened mail sitting at all office/processing centers.    And they process 230+ MILLION returns each year with 3/4 if them filed during the tax season period.     Add in the 160K stimulus checks they have already issued under a pandemic shut down and it is no wonder that the IRS is drowning under a sea of work. Toss in the fact that they usually hire on seasonal workers so have they been able to get them back after the furlough .... that has got to be factored in to any processing timeframes ... what a crazy world.