Can a Tax Professional e-file a 2021 tax return in 2025? Still possible?

You're not too late to claim a refund for 2021, but you're getting close to the deadline! The IRS allows you to claim refunds for up to 3 years after the original filing deadline. Since 2021 taxes were originally due in April 2022, you have until April 2025 to file and claim any refund owed to you. As for e-filing a 2021 return in 2025, unfortunately that's not possible anymore. The IRS only allows electronic filing for the current tax year and two years prior. Since we're in the 2025 filing season (for 2024 taxes), e-filing is only available for 2022, 2023, and 2024 returns. You'll need to paper file your 2021 return by mail. A tax professional can definitely still prepare the return for you - they'll just have to print it out for you to sign and mail rather than submitting it electronically.

I went through something similar last year with missing returns. After spending WEEKS trying to get through to the IRS (literally calling 30+ times), I finally found this tool called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that saved me so much time. It analyzed my tax documents from previous years and helped identify exactly what I needed to file for my missing 2021 return. The thing I liked most is that it showed me all the deductions I qualified for that I would've missed on my own. Since you're filing a late return, you'll want to make sure you're not leaving money on the table! Their system can extract info from your W-2s and other tax docs to make sure everything gets entered correctly on your paper forms.

Just wanted to update on my experience with taxr.ai that I asked about earlier. I decided to try it for my missing 2021 return and it was seriously worth it! The document scanner picked up stuff from my W-2s I would have entered wrong (my employer had a weird coding for some retirement contributions). The best part was it flagged that I qualified for a recovery rebate credit I didn't know about because I never received one of the stimulus payments from 2021. That was an extra $1,400 on my refund! The system generated all my forms perfectly formatted for mailing. Just sent everything off yesterday with tracking. Definitely recommend for anyone filing old returns!

If you're planning to mail in your 2021 return, just be prepared for a LONG wait before seeing your refund. I mailed in an amended return last year and it took over 7 months to process. When I called the IRS to check on status, I couldn't get through to anyone. After wasting hours on hold, I used https://claimyr.com and they got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. Basically they navigate the phone tree and wait on hold for you, then call you when they have an agent on the line. Saved me hours of frustration when I needed to confirm they had actually received my paper return.

I need to apologize to Profile 3 about Claimyr. I was super skeptical about this service and called it a scam earlier, but I was desperate enough to try it yesterday after spending 3 hours on hold with the IRS and getting disconnected TWICE. It actually worked exactly as described. I registered, entered my phone number, and about 40 minutes later got a call connecting me to an IRS representative who was already on the line. I was able to confirm they received my 2021 paper return and get an estimated processing date. Saved me from taking another day off work just to sit on hold. Just wanted to update in case anyone else is in the same boat with paper returns. The hold times are ridiculous right now, and this actually does what it claims.

Don't forget you may owe penalties even if you're owed a refund! The late filing penalty is 5% of unpaid taxes for each month your return is late, up to 25% maximum. There's also interest on any taxes owed.

Question - anyone know if you need special software to prepare a 2021 return now? I'm in the same boat as OP and wondering if regular tax software still has the 2021 forms.

Don't beat yourself up too much about forgetting - you're definitely not the first person this has happened to! The good news is that since you're pretty sure you're owed a refund, you won't face any penalties for filing late. Just to add to what others have said: when you do mail in your 2021 return, make sure to use certified mail with a return receipt so you have proof the IRS received it. Keep copies of everything for your records too. One more thing - double-check that you actually didn't file anything for 2021. Sometimes people file and then forget, or maybe you filed an extension? You can request a tax transcript from the IRS website to see if they have any record of a 2021 filing under your SSN. Better to check now than accidentally file a duplicate return! Good luck getting your refund - hopefully it's a nice little windfall when it finally arrives!

I'm in a very similar situation - found my 2021 documents in a box last month and realized I never filed! Reading through all these responses has been super helpful. A few things I learned from my research that might help you too: First, definitely check if you already filed using the IRS transcript tool like TommyKapitz mentioned - I was paranoid I had filed and forgotten, but turns out I really hadn't. Second, if you're going the paper route, make sure you're using the correct 2021 forms from the IRS website, not current year forms. The tax tables and some rules were different back then. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - if you moved since 2021, make sure your current address is updated with the IRS before you file. You can do this online or by phone. Otherwise your refund check might get sent to your old address and you'll have even more delays. Also, don't forget to include any 1099s you might have received in 2021 - interest, dividends, freelance work, etc. It's easy to focus on just the W-2 and miss other income sources from that long ago. Hope this helps, and good luck with your refund! At least we're not alone in this mistake.