Do I have to carry net operating loss forward or wait for form 172?

[taxprepman1967]

Do I have to carry net operating loss forward or wait for form 172?

[Terry53029]

I believe form is used only to compute your NOL forward/back. Nothing in IRS instructions say you have to file it with return

[taxprepman1967]

Thank You!

[BobKamman]

I did a word search for "attach" in the 172 instructions.  On Page 3, it says:

Deducting a Carryforward
If you carry forward your NOL to a tax year after the NOL year,
list your NOL deduction as a negative figure on Schedule 1
(Form 1040) for the year to which the NOL is carried. Estates
and trusts, include an NOL deduction on Form 1041.
Attach a Form 172 for each NOL to your Form 1040 or Form
1041 if it applies.

I would file a paper return if I didn't want to wait, but I get the impression that a lot of preparers these days don't even have an office printer.  

[dbtaxsolutions]

Don't do paper file, that will take 8 months at least to get processed. 

[BobKamman]

My clients who mailed their return from a small city in Arizona to Austin on February 10 received their refund on February 28.  

[j-v]

The program continues to show that the NOL is an error due to Form 172 not being available. Are you suggesting it be filed with that error?

[BobKamman]

The suggestion repeated many times on the lengthy thread about this subject is that the form be prepared manually and attached as a pdf, for those who insist on electronic filing.  

[ZZZzzz]

How 'bout the following.  Delete the NOL.  e-file the return.  Go back and enter the deleted NOLs for 2025.  Suspect that this has unsolvable problems.