Cheapest options to Efile 2022 Federal & State return for previous year
So my teenager only made about $4800 in 2022, and I totally dropped the ball on filing their taxes that year. Now we need to get their 2022 return filed ASAP because of FAFSA requirements for college. I know that to Efile a 2022 return at this point, it has to be submitted by a tax preparer since we're filing late. I'm not worried about getting the refund quickly - I just need the IRS to log that we filed so it shows up for the FAFSA verification process. Has anyone found an affordable online option for e-filing previous year returns? Most places I've checked want to charge a fortune for what should be a super simple return. Any recommendations for the cheapest place to Efile this previous year return (both Fed & State)? Again, time to get refund isn't important - just need confirmation it's been received by the IRS.
19 comments
Join the conversation
Lucas Lindsey
I help people with this situation pretty often! For a previous year return like 2022, you have a few options that won't break the bank. First, if your teen's income was under $5000, they might qualify for free filing through VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) programs. Many VITA sites can handle prior year returns and efile them. Call 211 to find a location near you. Another option is to use FreeTaxUSA. While they can't e-file prior year returns directly, you can prepare the 2022 return online for free (federal) and around $15 for state. You'll need to print and mail it, but that's still cheaper than paying a preparer. For FAFSA purposes, a paper-filed return will work, though it takes 6-8 weeks to process. If you absolutely need it e-filed, some online preparers like TaxAct or TaxSlayer can handle prior year returns, but you'll pay around $50-80 total. H&R Block charges more, usually $100+ for this service.
0 coins
Sophie Duck
•Do VITA sites still operate year-round? I thought they were only available during tax season. Also, does mailing actually work for FAFSA? I heard they need electronic confirmation.
0 coins
Lucas Lindsey
•Some VITA sites do operate year-round, though they're less common outside of tax season. You'd need to call ahead and confirm they can handle prior year returns. Not all locations offer this service. Mailed returns absolutely work for FAFSA. The Department of Education just needs verification that the return was filed. After processing, the IRS will have record of your paper-filed return, which is what matters for FAFSA verification. You can request a tax transcript once it's processed, which is usually what colleges want to see anyway.
0 coins
Austin Leonard
After spending hours trying to figure out how to file my brother's old tax returns, I finally found a solution with taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it was literally a game-changer. My brother had a similar situation with needing to file a 2022 return for school financial aid stuff. I tried all those "free" tax sites first but kept hitting roadblocks with prior year returns. With taxr.ai, I just uploaded his W-2 from 2022, answered a few questions, and they handled everything including e-filing the prior year return. The system automatically identified all the potential credits and deductions, which was cool because I wouldn't have known what to look for. My brother got his confirmation within 48 hours that the IRS received the return, which was exactly what he needed for his financial aid verification. Might be worth checking out for your kid's situation.
0 coins
Anita George
•How much did it cost though? I'm always suspicious when people don't mention the price... also, do they handle state returns too or just federal?
0 coins
Abigail Spencer
•Did they require any special documents since it's a prior year return? I'm in the same boat with my 2022 taxes and everyone keeps telling me I need some special form to explain the late filing.
0 coins
Austin Leonard
•They have different pricing tiers depending on your tax situation, but for a simple return like my brother's with just W-2 income, it was much cheaper than H&R Block quoted us. I'd rather not post exact pricing since it might have changed. Yes, they handle both federal and state returns! That was actually one of the main reasons we went with them. My brother needed to file both for his school, and they processed the state return for his situation without any additional forms or complications.
0 coins
Abigail Spencer
I just wanted to update after trying taxr.ai for my 2022 returns! I was the one who asked about special documents earlier. I was really worried because I'm applying for financial aid and needed my 2022 return processed ASAP. Honestly, it worked way better than expected. I uploaded my old W-2 and 1099 from a side gig, and everything was completed within a day. The confirmation from the IRS came through yesterday, so now I can finally complete my FAFSA verification. They didn't need any special forms explaining the late filing - they just handled it. What really impressed me was how they found a education credit I qualified for that I had no idea about. So I'm actually getting a refund I wasn't expecting. Definitely recommend checking them out if you're in a similar situation with prior year returns.
0 coins
Logan Chiang
If you're primarily concerned about FAFSA verification and getting IRS confirmation quickly, I'd recommend using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was in a similar situation with my daughter's 2022 return that we needed for her college financial aid. After filing her return (we used FreeTaxUSA and mailed it), we needed confirmation it was received. I spent DAYS trying to get through to the IRS to verify this. It was impossible. Then I found Claimyr, which actually gets you through to an IRS agent quickly. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c We got confirmation her return was in the system even though the "Where's My Refund" tool wasn't showing anything yet. This was enough for her college financial aid office. Saved us weeks of stress waiting for official processing.
0 coins
Isla Fischer
•Wait, how does this even work? The IRS phone lines are completely jammed. I've tried calling like 20 times and always get disconnected. How could a service possibly get through?
0 coins
Miles Hammonds
•Sounds like a scam. If I can't get through to the IRS, how can some random company? They probably just take your money and tell you they "confirmed" something. Has anyone actually verified this works?
0 coins
Logan Chiang
•They use a combination of technology and algorithms to navigate the IRS phone system. It's completely legitimate - they basically do the waiting and navigating for you, then call you when they've reached an agent. It's the same as if you called yourself, just without the hours of waiting and getting disconnected. I was skeptical too, but it actually works. Once connected, you speak directly with an IRS agent yourself - Claimyr just facilitates getting through. For my daughter's situation, the agent confirmed her return was received but still processing, which was exactly the information we needed for FAFSA.
0 coins
Miles Hammonds
I need to apologize and correct myself. After calling Claimyr a scam in my previous comment, I decided to try it as a last resort because my FAFSA deadline was approaching and I needed confirmation on my 2022 return. It actually worked exactly as advertised. I got a call back in about 45 minutes with an IRS agent on the line. The agent confirmed my return was in their system (even though it hadn't fully processed yet) and gave me a reference number I could provide to my college financial aid office. This saved me from missing my financial aid deadline. The financial aid officer accepted the reference number as proof my taxes were filed. I'm not usually one to admit when I'm wrong, but in this case I definitely was!
0 coins
Ruby Blake
Have you considered just filing the return yourself by mail? You can download the 2022 forms directly from IRS.gov, fill them out, print them, and mail them in. There's no fee for this. I know you mentioned efile, but for FAFSA purposes, a mailed return is considered filed as of the postmark date. Just make sure to send it certified mail so you have proof of when it was mailed. Much cheaper than paying someone, especially for a simple return with income under $5000.
0 coins
Micah Franklin
•Wouldn't mailing take forever to process though? I heard the IRS has massive backlogs with paper returns and it could take 6+ months. Would FAFSA accept just a mailing receipt as proof of filing?
0 coins
Ruby Blake
•Current processing time for paper returns is about 6-8 weeks, not 6 months. That used to be the case during COVID, but they've caught up significantly. Most financial aid offices understand the IRS processing timelines and will accept proof of mailing (certified mail receipt) as temporary documentation while the return processes. You can follow up by ordering a tax transcript once it's processed, which is what they ultimately want to see. Just contact your financial aid office first to confirm this approach works for them - different schools have different policies.
0 coins
Ella Harper
Has your kid checked if they actually needed to file for 2022? If they made under $5000 and it was just from a W-2 job (not self-employment), they might not have been required to file at all. For FAFSA purposes, if you weren't required to file, there's a specific process to indicate that. Might save you both time and money if filing wasn't actually required.
0 coins
Emma Olsen
•Thanks for bringing this up! I actually looked into this. Even though they weren't required to file based on the income threshold, they had federal taxes withheld from their paychecks. So we're filing to get that refunded - it's about $300 which would help with college expenses. Also, their college financial aid office specifically requested a 2022 tax return or transcript rather than the non-filing statement. Apparently, they've had issues with the non-filing verification process this year.
0 coins
Ella Harper
•That makes perfect sense. Getting that $300 back is definitely worth filing for, and if the school specifically wants the return rather than a non-filing statement, you're on the right track. Just as an FYI for future reference, for very low incomes like this, your child might be able to claim "exempt" on their W-4 to avoid having federal tax withheld in the first place. That way they get all their money upfront instead of waiting for a refund. Something to consider for their current job if applicable!
0 coins