1040-X Form
Contents
Form 1040-X, Amended US Individual Income Tax Return, is your amended tax return. When you’ve filed your original tax return wrongly or forgot to claim a deduction or credit you were eligible to claim, submit an amended return to correct your tax refund or bill.
The use of Form 1040-X is as simple as that. However, filing it may pose a challenge to some as the Internal Revenue Service doesn’t accept it electronically. That said, a paper Form 1040-X, amended return, must be sent. It doesn’t have to be all that troubling, though. You can fill out Form 1040-X for the 2024 tax season (for 2023 taxes) online and print out a paper copy. It will essentially be an electronic return, but you’ll be completing a PDF file rather than doing it through tax preparation software.
Fill out Form 1040-X for 2024
So you submit your original tax return and now need to amend it. Click above to start filling out the 1040-X and save it as a PDF file. You can then print out a paper copy and attach the other tax documents like the information returns or others related to the deductions or credits you’re claiming with the amended return and mail to the IRS.
On average, it takes about an hour to complete Form 1040-X correctly, but if you have experience with filing a federal income tax return, it will take a lot less.
Where to mail Form 1040-X
Form 1040-X mailing address is different depending on where you live – just like an original tax return. However, the mailing addresses aren’t the same. Use the following table as a guide to figure out where to send your 2024 amended tax return.
| State of Residence | Mailing Address |
|---|---|
| Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas | Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service Austin, TX 73301-0052 |
| Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming | Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service Ogden, UT 84201-0052 |
| Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin | Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service Kansas City, MO 64999-0052 |
Those that are living in a US territory or foreign country should mail it to the following address;
Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service
Austin, TX 73301-0215
Or file either one of the following forms: 2555, 2555-EZ, or 4563; or are dual-status aliens.
When to submit Form 1040-X
One of the common mistakes people make about their amended returns is filing it right after submitting their original tax returns. Wait for the IRS to process the initial, original return and file your amended return after confirming your refund or how much you’re supposed to pay.
If there is time until April 15, file the amended return without paying if the outcome will be different, such as getting a refund you wouldn’t otherwise if you weren’t to amend the return. However, even if you pay, it will get corrected, and you’ll receive the excess amount on your tax refund. In most cases, it’s best to pay your tax liability to avoid potential interest and late-payment fees.
Deadline to file Form 1040-X
There isn’t a set deadline to file Form 1040-X like there is for a federal income tax return. You generally need to file it within three years after filing the original tax return to get your corrected refund. If filed at a later date, you won’t get your refund as the IRS won’t process the amended return. Make sure to act quickly even though you have about three years to amend an original return.
Tracking amended tax return
The Internal Revenue Service has a tool for this called Where’s My Amended Return, like the Where’s My Refund tool – except it’s only for amended tax returns. The same as a regular federal income tax return, you can check the status of your amended tax return. Though you won’t get much information about it, you’ll know whether the IRS has received it or started processing it.
As for how long to wait, it can take anywhere from two to three weeks for your amended return to show up on the Where’s My Amended Return tool. From there, expect to wait eight to twelve weeks for the Internal Revenue Service to process your amended tax return. Once processed, the rest is the same as any other tax return.
FAQs
What is the IRS amended tax return phone number?
Although you can check the status of an amended tax return using the Where’s My Amended Return online tool, you can also call the IRS at 1-866-464-2050. Note that this is available Monday through Friday between 7 AM and 7 PM your local time.
What does an amended tax return mean?
Amending a return means just that – amending your original federal income tax return. When there are errors on your return, whether the IRS noticed it or not, you can amend it to correct how much you owe and refund also.
Can I e-file my amended tax return?
At the time of writing, no. Even though we have e-file for decades now at this point, the IRS is yet to accept amended tax returns electronically. You must file it on paper and mail it to the IRS along with the attachments – essentially, paper file it.
Does it really take 16 weeks for an amended return?
In some cases, yes. The Internal Revenue Service can take up to 16 weeks to process an amended tax return but the usual wait time is around 10 to 12 weeks. If it takes longer than 16 weeks, contact the IRS but depending on the complexity of your return, it can even take more than 16 weeks.
