Efiling 1040X returns! Finally!

[Just-Lisa-Now-]

Intuit, please, please please get this included as soon as possible!   If you can get the CA amended able to Efile as well (since they've allowed it for a couple of years now!) that would be great too!  🙂

IR-2020-107

IRS announces Form 1040-X electronic filing options coming this summer; major milestone reached for electronic returns

WASHINGTON- The Internal Revenue Service announced today that later this summer taxpayers will for the first time be able to file their Form 1040-X, Amended U.S Individual Income Tax Return, electronically using available tax software products.

Making the 1040-X an electronically filed form has been a goal of the IRS for a number of years. It’s also been an ongoing request from the nation’s tax professional community and has been a continuing recommendation from the Internal Revenue Service Advisory Council (IRSAC) and Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee (ETAAC).

Currently, taxpayers must mail a completed Form 1040-X to the IRS for processing. The new electronic option allows the IRS to receive amended returns faster while minimizing errors normally associated with manually completing the form.

“This new process is a major milestone for the IRS, and it follows hard work by people across the agency,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. “E-filing has been one of the great success stories of the IRS, and more than 90 percent of taxpayers use it routinely. But the big hurdle that’s been remaining for years is to convert amended returns into this electronic process. Our teams have worked diligently to overcome the unique challenges related to the 1040-X, and we look forward to offering this new service this summer.”

About 3 million Forms 1040-X are filed by taxpayers each year.

The new electronic filing option will provide the IRS with more complete and accurate data in an easily readable format to enable customer service representatives to answer taxpayers’ questions. Taxpayers can still use the "Where's My Amended Return?" online tool to check the status of their electronically-filed 1040-X.

When the electronic filing option becomes available, only tax year 2019 Forms 1040 and 1040-SR returns can be amended electronically. In general, taxpayers will still have the option to submit a paper version of the Form 1040-X and should follow the instructions for preparing and submitting the paper form. Additional enhancements are planned for the future.

“Adding amended returns to the electronic family also complements our partnership with the tax software industry, which continues to work with us to provide better ways to help taxpayers,” said Ken Corbin, Commissioner of the IRS Wage and Investment division.

[TaxGuyBill]

I think it is great, but I'm baffled at the timing.  When have they had time to do this?

The IRS was scrambling to deal with the CARES Act.  Then peak tax season.  Then the shutdown, dealing with EIP, and whole bunch of new laws they need to implement into their systems both now (for payroll) and for the 2020 year.

When have they had time to add the 1040X???

As for Intuit, my prediction is that they won't do it with the 2019 software, but might starting with the 2020 software.  But I hope I'm wrong and they do add it to the 2019 software.

[Just-Lisa-Now-]

Maybe it was a "work from home" project? LOL
Im not asking how the sausage was made!! ;D

[IRonMaN]

Have you people completely lost your minds?  You really want them to hurry up and get 1040X e-filing added?  Do you realize how many things they could break doing that?  I'm fine paper filing any amended returns that may come my way.  I'm good with them taking their time and hopefully only doing minor damage to the rest of the program.

[BobKamman]

@Just-Lisa-Now- "it was a 'work from home' project"

Probably nothing new.  Here is a review by an IRS employee from last year:

Good place to work

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIST - CYBERSECURITY (Current Employee) - Lanham, MD - November 14, 2019

Telework and pay good to work only 4 days in a week 

[rbynaker]

I'm curious to see what kind of fraud filters they're going to put on this.  Right now there's a fairly narrow window in which a fraudster can efile a current year tax return and have it accepted (before the real taxpayer files).  1040s are basically "first one through the door wins" (at least in terms of EF acceptance).  If they open that up to 1040X returns then it could be 3 years later that fraudsters are "amending" valid returns and having the check sent to the taxpayers "new" address.

And starting with 2019, really?  Considering there were considerable tax law changes made retroactively to 2018, I suspect there are going to be way more 2018 amendments that normal years.  I know I have several energy credit ones in the pipeline already, at least one T&F deduction and at least one PMI.  And I have a small practice with no NOLs or broken QIP depreciation.  Anyone with those will have to rewrite history.

Rick

[Just-Lisa-Now-]

A few states allow Efiled amended returns, wonder if fraud is an issue....

[Jennifer Jaros-Domen]

https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2020/may/irs-form-1040-x-e-file.html

This article says that the IRS will be ready in late summer. How about Intuit? And if you have an amended return ready to be mailed today, should you mail it or wait until e-file is ready? Is the IRS opening the mail now? Or is this still delayed with Covid-19?

[sjrcpa]

Even if IRS is ready late summer I have no expectation that Intuit software will be.

[Just-Lisa-Now-]

I was being optimistic hoping for early 2021 LOL

[S C]

when will the e file for 1040X open?

[sjrcpa]

https://proconnect.intuit.com/community/proseries-tax-news-updates/discussion/individual-amended-for...

[IRonMaN]

Luckily for its users, ProSeries put out an alert in a yellow banner across the top of the software when you opened it to announce this new and awe inspiring feature.  I guess they might want to consider issuing those alerts in braille to help the visually impaired folks using the software.  Based on the posts here over the years, there does appear to be a lot of visually impaired folks using the software.

[Just-Lisa-Now-]

no alert in my program yet!

[IRonMaN]

The alert was issued on August 18th saying it would be ready around August 26th with another alert to be issued when it was ready to roll.

[S C]

today in the 26th we are waiting for the alert....

[TaxGuyBill]

But it's August 26th today and I woke up at 12:01 am and the software wasn't ready.  What's wrong?  /sarcastic font off/

[IRonMaN]

And "around" August 26th isn't quite exactly 12:01 am on the 26th ----------- at least not on my watch or calendar.  And yeah, I'm old enough to still own a watch.

[brentlott]

when will the proseries software allow me to efile 2020 amended returns.

[Just-Lisa-Now-]

Shows it will be final on the 18th of March