BUG with filing Amended Return by mail after e-filing original

[RuelP]

I have used all the free federal e-filing credits so when I try to get past the selection screen in the filing section by selecting file by mail it just say I can't e-file.  this is very frustrating, as it seems to ignore the selection on the previous screen

I shared the return with agent token is: 1368066760-76179276

when I skip to the save and print it gives e-filing instructions so I can't even get the right stuff by skipping this step.

[RuelP]

why has this not been responded to in any measure?

[fanfare]

does an e-File of 1040-X count as one of your five e-Files? 

I don't think so.

in any case, when maling,

Do not include your old 1040 nor your revised 1040 because the Form 1040-X reflects any changes there and becomes your new tax return.

Include any new/corrected tax document only if it shows federal tax withheld, and include in order only those Sequence Numbered tax forms and Schedules that changed or were added due to your amendment.
Attachment Sequence Number is on all the forms and Schedules that come after 1040.

If you are using TurboTax you have to do this by careful visual comparison. The program won't break out those pages for you.
If your amendment dropped a form,
you should include with Form 1040-X a new copy of the form(s) with -0- in the appropriate lines or explain why in Part II Explanation .
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If any forms specify an attachment, put all those attachments at the end in the same order as the forms they go with.
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Mail to the address shown for your location in the most recent Instructions for Form 1040-X.

[RuelP]

Thank you for your help.  I was under the impression that the community was also serving as customer support so I was expecting an employee to look at the technical issues.  I will try to follow your guidance to send in the right parts of the return.

I don't know if the amended forms would count.  We have four children who are required to file so when we are done as a family we have used all 5 for first filings.

[LenaH]

TurboTax Desktop supports a total of five e-filed returns, which includes amended returns. Any returns beyond the five e-file limit must be printed and mailed. 

@RuelP 

[RuelP]

I did a double check and this is what I found.

https://www.irs.gov/filing/file-an-amended-return

How to file an amended return

To amend a return, file Form 1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. You can use tax software to electronically file your 1040-X online.

Submit all the same forms and schedules as you did when you filed your original Form 1040 even if you don't have adjustments on them.

File Form 8879, IRS e-file Signature Authorization with your 1040-X.

You can file up to 3 amended returns for the same year.

File on paper if you're amending a return:

• You filed on paper for a previous year in the current.
  • Example: You filed your original return on paper for tax year 2023 in February 2025 and need to amend the return.
• For tax years 2021 and prior.

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[RuelP]

I just want to say that this has by far been the worse customer support experience I have ever had.  You do not say if the bug I am reporting is even going to be looked at.  I don't expect community members to do anything along those lines, but as an employee expert I would expect my original posted issue to be at least mentioned in your reply.  You answer a question by the community member who is trying to be helpful but you do nothing to assist me.

[fanfare]

Form 8879 is for professional preparers who are doing your taxes for a fee.

"Submit all the same forms and schedules as you did when you filed your original Form 1040 even if you don't have adjustments on them."

Please supply source of this statement. It does not appear in the Instructions.

@RuelP 

[RuelP]

I have no idea where form 8879 is coming from.  I am using Turbo Tax to prepare my taxes, which after over 20 year of use this experience is starting to make me wonder if that is a good idea.

If you look at the post it starts with a statement I made saying I was double checking, then I post a link to the IRS website, which is titled "File an amended return" and on that page the statement is made. 

I did a google search and that was the first seemingly related page I saw.

If you want to post a link to the IRS website for the 1040X instructions which it seems you are referring to I can look at that as well.

[RuelP]

Sorry, I thought I was responding to the employee, I appreciate your following up.  I am really frustrated with this whole experience and not being able to get quicker response to what I perceive as an issue with the software.  Thanks for taking the time to help me out.

[RuelP]

I realized I can google the form instructions so I did and found this: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040x.pdf

Assembling Your Return

Assemble any schedules and forms behind Form 1040-X in the order of the “Attachment Sequence No.” shown in the upper-right corner of the schedule or form. If you have supporting statements, arrange them in the same order as the schedules or forms they support and attach them last.

Don’t attach a copy of your original return, correspondence, or other items unless required to do so. Attach to the front of Form 1040-X:

• A copy of any Form W-2; Form W-2c; or Form 2439, Notice to Shareholder of Undistributed Long-Term Capital Gains, that supports changes made on this return;

• A copy of any Form W-2G, Certain Gambling Winnings; or Form 1099-R that supports changes made on this return, but only if tax was withheld; and

• A copy of any Form 1042-S, Foreign Person's U.S. Source Income Subject to Withholding; Form SSA-1042S, Social Security Benefit Statement (Nonresident Aliens); Form RRB-1042S, Payments by the Railroad Retirement Board (Nonresident Aliens); or Form 8288-A, Statement of Withholding on Dispositions by Foreign Persons of U.S. Real Property Interests, that supports changes made on this return.

Attach to the back of Form 1040-X any Form 8805, Foreign Partner's Information Statement of Section 1446 Withholding Tax, that supports changes made on this return. If you owe tax and you don’t want to pay electronically, enclose (don’t attach) your check or money order in the envelope with your amended return. See Line 20, earlier.

[fanfare]

@RuelP 

FYI :  

Here is chatGPT 4o analysis of this issue.
Note: ChatGPT admits responses may contain errors and I previously have gotten erronneous responses.

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fanfare said:

There is nothing in the IRS Instructions for Form 1040-X that confirm your response that unchanged forms should not be included.

ChatGPT said:

You're right to point that out — the IRS Form 1040-X instructions do not explicitly state that unchanged forms should not be included. However, the key guidance is in what is required:

From the official IRS Instructions for Form 1040-X, under “Attachments”, it says:

Attach any schedules and forms that are affected by the change. For example, if you are changing Form 1040 or 1040-SR, line 12b, attach the schedule(s) used to figure the revised amount.
Also, attach any Form W-2 or W-2c that supports changes made on this form.

Interpretation:

• The IRS only requires forms/schedules that are affected.

• It does not instruct filers to include all forms or unchanged ones.

• Historically and practically, including unchanged forms can confuse processing and is not recommended unless the IRS specifically requests them.

Confirmed Practice:

• Tax professionals and the IRS’s Amended Return Guidelines confirm that only changed or new schedules should be submitted with 1040-X.

• The IRS transcript and processing system (CAF/CAWR) relies on the delta — the changes — not the full return being reconstructed.

Summary:

You're correct the instruction doesn't explicitly forbid including unchanged forms, but it clearly does not require them and emphasizes only attaching affected materials.