rjs
Level 15
Level 15

After you file

It's not clear what you filed, or thought you were filing, in January 2020, because you said you filed a year late. Your 2019 tax return shows the income that you earned in 2019. Your 2019 tax return is supposed to be filed in 2020. That's not a year late. Do you mean that in January 2020 you filed your 2018 tax return, showing the income that you earned in 2018? That would be a year late. You should have filed your 2018 tax return in 2019.


But if you e-filed a tax return with TurboTax in January 2020, it was a 2019 tax return. In January 2020 TurboTax Online was only for 2019 tax returns. You could not have e-filed a 2018 tax return with TurboTax in January 2020.


If you entered your 2018 income into a 2019 tax return and filed it, it might be taking a long time because the income and other information doesn't match what the IRS has on file for you for 2019, so it was sent for manual processing. But the IRS processing centers were closed for several months because of the Covid-19 pandemic. They are just now starting to reopen, but they have limited staff and a huge backlog, so it may be quite a while before you hear from them.


To file a 2018 tax return (anytime after October 15, 2019) you have to use the CD/Download TurboTax software for 2018. You cannot use TurboTax Online. A 2018 tax return can no longer be e-filed. You will have to print it, sign it, and file it by mail.


For 2019, you should wait until you get some kind of communication from the IRS. You will probably get a notice or letter questioning the 2019 tax return that you filed with your 2018 information. Follow the instructions in the notice or letter to straighten it out.