Amended Return E-filed for 2023 - No Movement After 3 Months

Amended returns are definitely on a slower timeline right now. Based on what I'm seeing: • Normal processing time for amended returns is 16 weeks minimum • E-filed amendments are faster than paper but still slow • Military returns with foreign income often get additional review • The "Where's My Amended Return" tool often doesn't update until processing is complete • Many people are seeing 20+ week timelines currently I amended my 2022 return last year and it took almost 5 months to process even though I e-filed.

What was the reason for your amendment? I've noticed different types of amendments have different processing timelines. Back in 2021, I amended to claim missed education credits and it took about 14 weeks. Then last year I amended for retirement account corrections and that took over 20 weeks. Foreign income amendments typically involve additional review steps, so that might explain your timeline.

You need to call them ASAP! According to the IRS website (https://www.irs.gov/filing/wheres-my-amended-return), if there's no update after 3 weeks from electronic filing, something might be wrong. I was in the same situation last month and wasted days trying to get through. Finally used Claimyr (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) and got connected to an agent in 20 minutes who confirmed my amendment was received but stuck in a processing queue. Don't wait any longer - the fiscal year is ending soon and you want this resolved before they reset their systems!

BE CAREFUL with amended returns right now! I e-filed an amended 2022 return in January and it's STILL processing. When I finally got through to someone at the IRS, they told me my return was flagged for "additional verification" which apparently means it's in some special queue that takes FOREVER. The worst part? They couldn't even tell me why it was flagged! If you have foreign income like you mentioned, that's a common trigger for extra scrutiny. I'm so frustrated with how they handle these things!

I was in the exact same boat last yr w/ my amended return. 3 months turned into 5 months of waiting! What helped me was using taxr.ai to analyze my transcripts - it showed my amended return was actually being processed even tho the WMAR tool showed nothing. The tool explained all those weird codes on my account transcript that showed movement was happening behind the scenes. Saved me so much stress knowing it wasn't lost in the void! Def check ur transcripts if u can access them.

Have you tried contacting your local Taxpayer Advocate Service office? Waiting for an amended return is like being stuck in quicksand - the more you struggle and worry, the more stressful it gets. The TAS can sometimes pull you out when you're sinking in IRS delays. They helped my sister-in-law with her amended return that was gathering dust for 4 months. Worth a shot if you're approaching that 3-month mark.

Be VERY careful with amended returns involving Form 2555 (Foreign Earned Income) or Form 1116 (Foreign Tax Credit). The IRS's Amended Return Processing Center (ARPC) has specific verification protocols for foreign income that can extend processing times significantly. I've seen numerous cases where amended returns with foreign elements were subjected to the Foreign Income Verification Program (FIVP), which adds 60-90 days to processing. Your return may be in this specialized queue without any visible status update.

According to Internal Revenue Manual section 21.5.3.4.6.1, the normal processing time for amended returns is 16 weeks, but can be extended during periods of high volume. I submitted my amended return in February 2023 and received my adjustment in August 2023 - approximately 24 weeks later. The key was checking my tax account transcript weekly rather than relying on the Where's My Amended Return tool. Once I saw transaction code 971 appear, I knew my amendment was in final processing stages.

The IRS is probably somewhat backlogged with amended returns right now. In my experience, which is admittedly limited to just my own situation last year, it took almost 4 months for my amendment to process. You might want to consider pulling your tax transcripts if possible - sometimes they show movement even when the Where's My Amended Return tool doesn't update. I saved myself a lot of worry (and potentially paying for professional help) by checking my transcripts regularly.

Have you tried checking your tax account transcript instead of just the WMAR tool? Sometimes the transcript shows activity even when the amendment status tool doesn't update. And have you received any letters or notices in the mail? The IRS often communicates by mail rather than updating their online systems, especially when they need additional information, don't you think?