How to verify receipt of mailed tax return

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My son is active duty military and was deployed the first 7 months of 2020. He filed his 2019 taxes by mail in Dec. 2020. He has yet to receive his refund; logging into the IRS account shows no evidence that they have his 2019 return. What can he do to verify that the IRS has this return?

We discovered this because he tried to e-file his 2020 return. The IRS can't match his 2019 AGI that he submitted with the 2020 return.

Thank you!

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VolvoGirlAnswer

Level 15

Since he mailed it late enter 0 for the AGI to efile 2020 the IRS still is behind Processing 2019 returns. If he mailed in December they probably haven't even opened it yet. Did he get a tracking number from the post office when he mailed it? That's the only way to know they got it.

VolvoGirlAnswer

Level 15

dweskalAuthor

Level 2

Thank you! My son found out the same information in the FAQs at https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-operations-during-covid-19-mission-critical-functions-continue. As of March 18, 2021, IRS is processing July 2019 returns. Another FAQ had the same answer that you gave. And entering 0 for AGI worked!

As for his 2019 return, he did not send it with tracking because the Post Office was crowded with pre-Christmas mailers. Fortunately, he doesn't owe any taxes so if his return was lost he can refile without paying interest.