Skip to main content
Level 5
January 26, 2021
Question

E file lost by IRS.

  • January 26, 2021
  • 8 replies
  • 54 views

Have a client whose return filed in March had been "processing" all year. Until around Christmas the message changed to no return found. Have an SID number, and they received their state refund. So the return had to be received by the IRS. After contacting a Taxpayer Advocate for help, we had to file their Federal return on paper.  Has anyone else ever dealt with this?  Or is this a 2020 thing? I am nervous about filing another return but everything is documented.

This topic has been closed for replies.

8 replies

IRonMaN
Level 15
January 27, 2021

2020 was the year of "anything is possible".  Let's just hope 2021 isn't a repeat of 2020.

Slava Ukraini!
BobKamman
Level 15
January 27, 2021

Was there anything unusual about the return, like EIC and electric-vehicle credit along with triplets with (of course) the same birth date?

On second thought, triplets with different birth dates would be even more unusual, although not impossible.  

Level 5
January 27, 2021

The return may have been hung up because 2018 they filed MFS and 2019 was MFJ. But after calling all year long and only getting automated numbers, we requested a transcript and when it was received, it show no file information found. At that point we faxed TPA form and the client received a call within 3 hrs to file the return on paper. 

George4Tacks
Level 15
January 27, 2021

I actually had that happen to my return one year. I had a "hinky" item on the return and it got sent to never never land for review. I also go the Taxpayer Advocate involved, and the e-filed return was found and ultimately processed. That was in the days before the chaos of 2020. I had another get snagged because of an incorrect amount of Social Security income (someone who will not be named put net instead of gross).

I trust e-file way more than paper, especially now with the IRS centers still playing catch up with 2019 returns.  

Answers are easy. Questions are hard!
Level 5
January 27, 2021

Yes efile is the way to go! But, I need to change my "spiel" some. Having the SID number didn't help anything except to cover me and Proseries with the client. We did do what we said we did. Efiling is the quickest, easiest, way to file almost all returns.

Level 5
March 30, 2021

Just as an update on the subject, the client called me yesterday. They received their 2019 refund in the mail. Now let us see when we file their 2020 if we can get their 2nd EIP.