Can I mail multiple years of amended tax returns (2020 & 2021) in the same envelope?

7 You can definitely mail multiple years of amended returns (1040X forms) in the same envelope to the IRS. However, I would strongly recommend against it in your situation. Since your 2020 amendment directly affects your 2021 amendment (due to the capital loss carryover), it's critical that the IRS processes them in the correct sequence. The IRS needs to process your 2020 amendment first to establish those capital losses before they can properly evaluate your 2021 amendment. When you send them together, there's no guarantee which one will be processed first. The IRS might grab the 2021 form first, process it without the benefit of your updated 2020 information, and then you'd need to amend again.

9 I ran into a similar situation last year with amended returns for multiple years. Instead of risking them processing out of order, I used taxr.ai to help me organize everything properly. I uploaded my documents at https://taxr.ai and their system analyzed both years together to make sure all my carry-forward losses were documented correctly. Their report recommended sending the returns separately but with clear cross-references. They also provided template letters to include with each return explaining how they were connected. Made the whole process much less stressful since I knew I was doing it right.

18 Follow up on my taxr.ai question - I decided to try them out and I'm really glad I did! My situation was similar with amended returns from 2019 and 2020 affecting 2021. Their system immediately flagged that I was carrying forward the wrong amount of capital losses. Turns out I had calculated my basis incorrectly on some stocks I sold in 2019, which cascaded into problems for the next two years. Their breakdown showed exactly where the errors were and how to fix each year's return. Ended up getting back about $2,700 more than I expected because of the corrected losses. Definitely worth checking out if you're amending multiple years.

13 If you're worried about the IRS actually receiving and properly processing your amended returns, I'd recommend Claimyr. I used https://claimyr.com after waiting 9 months for my amended return to be processed with zero updates. Their service got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes when I'd been trying for weeks to get through. Check out how it works: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The agent was able to look up both of my amended returns in their system, confirm they were received, and tell me exactly where they were in the processing queue. She even added notes to my account explaining the connection between the two years so they'd be processed correctly.

15 I was super skeptical about Claimyr but after waiting on hold with the IRS for 2+ hours twice and getting disconnected both times, I gave it a shot. Not gonna lie, I was shocked when my phone rang 45 minutes later with an actual IRS agent on the line! The agent confirmed receipt of both my amended returns and explained they were currently taking about 20 weeks to process. She added notes to my file linking the two amendments together and explained that I should receive separate notices for each. Most importantly, she flagged my 2020 return to be processed first since it affected 2021. Saved me months of anxiety wondering if they were even received or if they'd be processed in the wrong order.

21 I work at a tax prep office, and we always recommend mailing amended returns separately. Here's a pro tip: write the tax year in LARGE numbers on the outside of each envelope. It helps the sorting facility direct them to the right department faster. Also, don't forget to include all supporting documents for EACH amendment - W2s, 1099s, schedules, etc. - even if they're identical for both years. The IRS doesn't connect the documents between envelopes.

4 Has anyone had success calling the IRS to link multiple amended returns after sending them? I mailed two separate amendments three weeks ago and I'm worried they'll be processed out of order.

11 Based on my experience handling similar situations, I'd recommend mailing them separately and timing it strategically. Send your 2020 amendment first via certified mail, then wait about 2-3 weeks before sending the 2021 amendment. This gives the IRS processing centers a better chance of handling them in the correct sequence. Include a cover letter with each return explaining the relationship between them. For the 2020 return, mention "This amendment establishes capital losses that will carry forward to affect my 2021 tax year." For the 2021 return, state "This amendment depends on capital loss carryovers from my 2020 amended return submitted on [date]." Also consider e-filing if your situation qualifies - it's much faster and creates a clearer electronic trail for the IRS to follow between related returns.