Amending 2023 Taxes After Late W-2s Arrived - Timeline After Approval?
Filing an amended return for the first time and could use some guidance! • Originally filed my 2023 taxes in early February • Just received 2 additional W-2s that weren't sent to me on time • Need to file an amended return (Form 1040-X) to report this additional income • Main concern: timeline for receiving refund after amendment is approved? Has anyone gone through this process for the same tax year? If so: • How long did it take from approval to receiving your refund? • Any tips to avoid delays? This is our first year filing jointly after getting married, so we want to make sure we handle everything correctly. Really appreciate any help or experiences you can share!
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Omar Zaki
Amended returns follow a completely different processing timeline than original returns. Unlike regular returns that can be processed in 21 days, amended returns typically take 16-20 weeks for processing in 2024, compared to 8-12 weeks in previous years. Once approved, you'll usually receive your refund within 2-3 weeks, which is similar to regular returns. The key difference is in the approval process, not the refund issuance. If you e-file the amendment, you'll get through the queue faster than paper filing, similar to how original e-filed returns move quicker than paper returns.
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Chloe Taylor
•Thank you for breaking this down! So I should expect around 16-20 weeks from the day I submit my amended return on April 28th, and then an additional 2-3 weeks after approval? Just want to make sure I'm not counting on this money arriving by July 15th when I'll need it.
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Diego Flores
•Is there a specific way to e-file an amended return that's most efficient? Here's what I'm planning to do: Step 1: Log into the same tax software I used for my original return Step 2: Select the option to amend my 2023 return Step 3: Enter the additional W-2 information Step 4: Review the changes to my tax liability Step 5: Submit electronically Should I also be printing a copy for my records? And is there anything I should do differently since this is for a married filing jointly situation?
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Anastasia Ivanova
Don't expect it anytime soon. I amended my 2022 taxes last May for a similar situation and it took nearly 6 months to process. The IRS website claimed 16 weeks but that's rarely accurate these days. Your best bet is to file electronically if possible - paper amendments can take even longer. And make sure you include ALL the necessary documentation with your amendment or they'll just kick it back and restart the clock.
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Sean Murphy
•This matches my experience from last year. I had a similar situation with late W-2s in 2022, and despite filing my amendment in March 2023, I didn't see my refund until September. The Where's My Amended Return tool barely updated during that time too. The wait was frustrating, but it did eventually come through exactly as calculated.
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StarStrider
•Wow, 6 months is a long time! I just checked the IRS stats and you're right - they're currently processing amended returns from exactly 20 weeks ago. That's incredibly helpful to know for planning purposes. I appreciate the realistic timeline instead of the official estimate.
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Zara Malik
•Is there any way to check the status of an amended return online? I've heard about "Where's My Amended Return" but does it actually provide useful updates? Need to know what tracking tools are available since we'll be waiting so long.
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Luca Marino
Been there. Waited 5 months last year. Couldn't get answers. Called IRS 14 times. Always disconnected. Finally used Claimyr. Got through in 25 mins. Agent confirmed my amendment was approved but stuck in processing queue. Refund came 3 weeks later. Worth the fee to actually talk to someone. Check them out: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c
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Nia Davis
•I'm hesitant about these third-party services that charge to connect you with the IRS. Couldn't you just keep calling at different times of day? Or use the IRS taxpayer advocate service? I worry about spending money on something that should be a free government service.
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Mateo Perez
•I totally understand your frustration with the wait times. When I amended my 2022 return, I spent hours on hold only to get disconnected. The mental relief of actually speaking to a human who could confirm my amendment status would have been worth any reasonable fee. The IRS is severely understaffed according to Internal Revenue Manual 1.4.16, which is why these connection services have become so popular.
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Aisha Rahman
I went through this exact situation last year! Had two W-2s from short contract jobs show up in March after I'd already filed in January. The amendment process was slower than watching paint dry, but I found a trick that helped. I called the IRS amendment hotline (866-464-2050) at exactly 7:00 AM Eastern when they opened and was able to get through after only a 15-minute wait. The agent confirmed my amendment was received and gave me an actual status update that the online tool never showed. My experience was about 18 weeks total from submission to refund deposit.
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CosmicCrusader
Just went thru this last month! FWIW, here's what happened: - Filed original return Jan 15 - Got late W2 Feb 22 - E-filed amendment Mar 1 - WMAR showed "received" Mar 8 - Status changed to "adjusted" Apr 12 - Refund DD Apr 19 That's ~7 wks total which is WAY faster than the 16-20 wks they say. Def e-file if ur software allows it. Also, if ur using TurboTax/HR Block, they'll auto-calculate everything. Super easy tbh. Good luck with the newly married filing status - that was us last yr!
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Ethan Brown
I'm not sure you should count on a quick resolution. My amended return from last year took almost 8 months to process, and that was with no complicated issues. It might be worth considering if you really need to amend at all. If the additional W-2s would result in you owing more tax, you definitely should amend. But if they would increase your refund by a small amount, you might want to weigh whether it's worth the potential headache. The IRS sometimes has a three-year lookback period for certain corrections, so you technically have time if you wanted to wait until their processing times improve.
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Yuki Yamamoto
The current amended return processing queue is experiencing significant backlog due to staffing limitations and technological constraints within the IRS Accounts Management department. According to the National Taxpayer Advocate's 2023 Annual Report to Congress, amended returns are still being processed manually, even when e-filed. This creates a substantial bottleneck. My analysis of recent processing patterns suggests a current average of 22.4 weeks from submission to completion, with an additional 7-10 business days for refund issuance via direct deposit. I'm concerned that this timeline may extend further as we approach the peak amendment season that typically occurs post-April 15th.
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Carmen Ortiz
Think of an amended return like getting in a special line at the DMV - it's separate from the main line and moves at its own pace. The IRS has to manually review amended returns, which creates a bottleneck. From what I've seen in the community, there seems to be a pattern: if you amend early in the year (January-March), you might get lucky with faster processing. It's like arriving at a restaurant before the dinner rush. But amending after April tends to put you in a much longer queue, like showing up at the height of dinner service. I'd suggest getting your amendment in as soon as possible if you haven't already.
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