@SJ34 wrote:
I have custody papers from court and if i have to mail in how long does it tack to get my taxes back?
First, to clarify. Don't send any proof of the child's residency when you file your return. The IRS will just lose the extra papers. Just file the plain tax return by mail, and keep the other proof for when the IRS asks. Also, the custody papers alone may not be enough to prove the child actually did live with you, the parent may claim they did not follow the court order. Start gathering the other kinds of proof I mentioned to supplement the court order.
As to mailed returns, in a normal year, they would take 6-8 weeks to process instead of 3-4 weeks for e-filed returns (in other words, an extra 3 weeks). The IRS is backlogged in paper returns due to last year's shutdowns, and I don't think anyone can say how long a mailed return will take this year.
