Can I still e-file my 2023 taxes in January 2025 or is it too late?
Title: Can I still e-file my 2023 taxes in January 2025 or is it too late? 1 I totally dropped the ball on filing my 2023 taxes last year. I know, I'm terrible at adulting sometimes. So now it's January 10, 2025, and I'm finally getting around to it. I was hoping to just use TurboTax and get it done quickly, but I'm worried that e-filing might be closed for prior year returns at this point. Do I seriously have to print everything out and mail it in? That sounds like such a hassle. I called a couple tax preparation places in my area, and they're telling me they can still e-file my 2023 taxes for me even now. Is that even possible, or are they just trying to get my business? Seems kinda fishy to me, but maybe professional preparers have different options than us regular folks? Thanks for any help! I just want to get this done and stop worrying about it.
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Amina Toure
8 You're right to question what those tax prep places told you. The truth is that e-filing for 2023 tax returns officially closed for everyone (including tax professionals) on November 18, 2024. Anyone claiming they can still e-file your 2023 return in January 2025 is either misinformed or not being truthful. At this point, your only option is to file a paper return for 2023. You can still use TurboTax or another tax software to prepare the return - the software will guide you through all the necessary forms and calculations. It just means that at the end, instead of submitting electronically, you'll need to print the completed return and mail it to the IRS. Make sure you send it via certified mail so you have proof of when you submitted it. Paper returns take much longer to process (typically 6-8 weeks or more), so if you're expecting a refund, be prepared to wait.
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Amina Toure
•6 Thanks for the info! Do you know if there's any penalty for filing this late? I'm actually supposed to get a refund based on my calculations, if that makes any difference.
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Amina Toure
•8 If you're due a refund, there's actually no penalty for filing late. The IRS is happy to hold onto your money interest-free! However, you should know that you only have three years from the original due date to claim your refund. For 2023 taxes, that means you have until April 15, 2026, to file and still receive your refund. If you owed taxes instead of being due a refund, then yes, you would face both failure-to-file penalties (5% of unpaid taxes each month, up to 25%) and failure-to-pay penalties (0.5% per month), plus interest on the unpaid amount. But since you're expecting a refund, you're in the clear penalty-wise.
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Amina Toure
14 Just wanted to share my experience with a similar situation. I was struggling with filing my back taxes from 2022 last year and was getting totally overwhelmed by all the paperwork and requirements. Then I found this service called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that really saved me a ton of time. It basically analyzed all my tax documents and pulled out the important info automatically. Super helpful when you're dealing with old records and trying to remember what happened 2+ years ago! It organized everything I needed for my paper filing and made sure I wasn't missing anything important. Might be worth checking out since you're in a similar boat with your 2023 return.
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Amina Toure
•3 How exactly does it work? I have a bunch of documents scattered across different folders and emails. Would I need to organize everything first before using the service?
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Amina Toure
•17 Sounds interesting but does it actually help with the filing part? Or just organizing documents? Because my main issue is figuring out if I'm missing any deductions from that year that I might have forgotten about.
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Amina Toure
•14 You don't need to organize anything first - that's the whole point! You just upload whatever tax documents you have (W-2s, 1099s, etc.) and it extracts all the relevant information automatically. It can handle documents in pretty much any format, even if they're not perfectly scanned. As for deductions, it actually helps identify potential deductions you might have missed based on the information in your documents. It looks for patterns that suggest you might qualify for certain credits or deductions and flags them for you to consider. It doesn't file for you - you'll still need to complete that process - but it makes sure you have all the information organized correctly for an accurate return.
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Amina Toure
17 Just wanted to follow up! I ended up trying taxr.ai after asking about it here and wow - it actually found a couple of deductions I totally would have missed. I had some charitable donations and a small business expense that I had completely forgotten about from 2023. The document analysis picked up on both and saved me about $430 on my return! The paper filing is still annoying but at least I know I'm not leaving money on the table. Definitely worth it for me.
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Amina Toure
11 If you're worried about how long it'll take to process your paper return, I highly recommend using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to check on your refund status after you submit. The IRS is notorious for being impossible to reach by phone, but Claimyr got me through to an actual human at the IRS in about 15 minutes when I was trying to track down my amended return last year. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c It's basically a service that navigates the IRS phone system for you and calls you back when they get an agent on the line. Super helpful for paper returns since those can sometimes get lost in the system and you might need to follow up.
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Amina Toure
•22 Wait, how does that even work? The IRS phone system is literally designed to be impenetrable. Are you saying this service somehow jumps the queue or something?
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Amina Toure
•7 Sounds too good to be true honestly. I've spent HOURS on hold with the IRS before and never got through. How much does this cost? There's always a catch with these things.
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Amina Toure
•11 It doesn't jump the queue exactly - it uses an automated system that continually calls and navigates the IRS phone tree until it gets through to an agent. Then it connects you. Think of it as having someone persistently redialing for you instead of you having to do it yourself. The big difference is their system knows exactly when call volume is lower and which options to select to improve your chances of getting through. It's not magic, just technology handling the frustrating part for you. And when your paper return might be sitting in a processing center for months, being able to actually talk to someone can make a huge difference.
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Amina Toure
7 I have to apologize for my skepticism earlier. After waiting three weeks with no update on my paper return for 2023, I broke down and tried Claimyr. I was absolutely SHOCKED when my phone rang and there was actually an IRS agent on the line! Took less than 20 minutes when I had previously spent 2+ hours getting nowhere. The agent was able to confirm they received my return and gave me an estimated processing date. Turns out there was a small issue with my filing status that might have delayed things further if I hadn't called. Problem solved in one conversation instead of waiting months for a letter. Never going back to the old way of trying to reach them!
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Amina Toure
9 I made the same mistake last year with my 2022 taxes. If you're using TurboTax, you can still download the 2023 version and complete your return there. Just be sure to print it out clearly on white paper and sign it in blue ink. Also double check that you're mailing it to the correct IRS address - it varies by state and whether you're enclosing payment.
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Amina Toure
•1 Thanks for the tip! I didn't realize there were different addresses depending on if you're including payment or not. Is there a specific place on the IRS website where I can find the right mailing address? I'm in Florida if that helps.
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Amina Toure
•9 The IRS has a page specifically for this - just search "where to file paper tax returns" on their website. For Florida residents, if you're not enclosing a payment, you'll mail your return to the Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service Center in Austin, TX. If you are enclosing a payment, it goes to a P.O. Box in Charlotte, NC instead. Make absolutely sure you use the correct address - sending it to the wrong processing center can add weeks or even months to your processing time. And definitely spring for tracking on your envelope so you know exactly when it arrives.
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Amina Toure
12 One thing nobody's mentioned - make sure you keep a complete copy of everything you send! I filed a paper return in 2023 and the IRS somehow lost parts of it. Having my own copies saved me a huge headache. Also take pictures of the signed forms before you mail them just to be extra safe.
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Amina Toure
•20 This is really good advice. My friend had his return "lost" last year and had to resubmit everything. The IRS tried to charge him late fees but he had proof of when he originally sent it.
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Kai Santiago
Pro tip from someone who's been through this exact situation - when you do mail in your paper return, include Form 4506-T (Request for Transcript) along with it. This way you can get a transcript of your return once it's processed, which serves as official proof that the IRS received and processed your filing. Also, since you mentioned you're expecting a refund, be aware that paper returns are processed in the order they're received, and the IRS is still working through a backlog from previous years. Don't panic if it takes 12-16 weeks instead of the usual 6-8. The refund will come eventually, and like others mentioned, there's no penalty since you're getting money back rather than owing. One last thing - if your refund is over $1,500, consider having it direct deposited into your bank account rather than getting a paper check. Even with paper filing, you can still provide your banking info for direct deposit, and it's much faster and more secure than waiting for a check in the mail.
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Isabella Russo
•This is super helpful advice! I had no idea about Form 4506-T - that sounds like a smart way to have official documentation that they received everything. Quick question about the direct deposit option - do I just fill in my bank info on the same line where it asks for refund method, even though I'm filing on paper? I want to make sure I don't mess anything up since this whole paper filing process is new to me. The last thing I need is to cause more delays because I filled something out wrong!
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