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

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
May 9, 2025
1 reply
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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.

Technical Help

RuelPAuthor

Level 2

why has this not been responded to in any measure?

fanfare

Level 15

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.

fanfare

Level 15

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.

@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.