E-filed 7202 form amendment for COVID relief refund, received IRS letter requesting resubmission?
I recently discovered Form 7202 for COVID relief credits and e-filed an amendment to my 2021 return to claim sick leave credits when my family and I had COVID. I have email confirmation of my positive test results, plus medical records showing my three kids got sick at different times throughout the year. After e-filing the 1040X with just the 7202 form to claim the refund, I received a letter from the IRS telling me I need to mail in a complete 1040X along with all schedule forms and "documentation detailing family leave." The letter mentioned if I don't take action within 30 days, no further action will be taken on my account - which I'm assuming means I'll lose the chance at getting the COVID relief credit. I'm completely confused about what exactly they're asking for. Form 7202 itself doesn't specify any attachments or schedules. Should I just print out the 1040X and Form 7202, along with copies of our COVID test results and my kids' doctor appointment records? What other documentation would qualify as "detailing family leave"? The form doesn't provide much guidance on this. Has anyone dealt with this situation before? I don't want to miss out on this relief, but I'm unsure what documentation package they're expecting me to mail in. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
19 comments


Katherine Hunter
You're dealing with a common IRS request for documentation to support your amended return. When you claim the sick leave and family leave credits using Form 7202, the IRS typically wants to verify your eligibility. Here's what I'd recommend sending in one complete package: - Your signed 1040X amendment form - The completed Form 7202 showing your calculations - A cover letter briefly explaining your situation (dates you or your children were sick, why you qualify) - Documentation proving COVID illness (test results, doctor's notes) - Documentation showing you missed work (emails to employer, work schedules, statements from employer) - Any receipts/records showing you cared for your children during their illness The key thing the IRS is looking for is proof that you actually took time off work to recover from COVID or to care for your sick children. Simply having COVID isn't enough - you need to show you couldn't work because of it. Make sure to send everything via certified mail so you have proof of delivery, and keep copies of everything you submit. The 30-day deadline is important, so don't delay in gathering these documents and sending them in.
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Lucas Parker
•Thanks for this info! Do I need to include my original filed tax return from 2021 too? Also, for the work documentation, I was self-employed during that time. What kind of proof would work for showing I couldn't work? I don't have an employer to get statements from.
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Katherine Hunter
•You don't need to include your original 2021 tax return - the 1040X amendment form is sufficient since it references your original filing. For self-employed individuals, documentation is admittedly trickier. I'd recommend creating a written statement detailing your normal work schedule and how your illness prevented you from working. Include any evidence that shows your business activities were reduced during your illness - things like appointment calendars showing canceled meetings, emails to clients explaining delays, reduced invoicing during that period, or any other business records showing a disruption in your normal activities. Think of what would convince a reasonable person that you couldn't work during those specific periods. For example, a log of your symptoms along with the dates you were ill, combined with your COVID test results, can be quite persuasive. If you had any communications with clients or customers about delays due to illness, those would be very helpful to include.
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Donna Cline
I went through something similar with my amended return! After a lot of confusion I found this amazing service called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that really helped me figure out exactly what documentation to send. I was totally lost with what the IRS needed for my 7202 amendment too, and the letter they sent wasn't super clear. The service analyzed my situation and generated a personalized cover letter explaining exactly how I qualified for the credits. They also helped me organize all my documentation in the exact way the IRS wants to see it, which I think made a huge difference. Their system recommended specifically what proof of illness to include and how to document my lost work hours since I was also self-employed. Honestly saved me so much stress and I got my refund about 8 weeks after sending everything in.
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Harper Collins
•Did you have to upload all your documents to this service? I'm a bit hesitant about sharing my tax docs and medical records with random websites.
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Kelsey Hawkins
•How much did this cost? I'm in a similar situation but don't want to spend a ton of money just to get documentation in order when the refund might not be that big anyway.
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Donna Cline
•You don't have to upload your actual documents - I just described my situation and what documents I had available. The system then told me which ones would be most effective for my claim and how to organize them. They don't need to see your actual medical records or tax forms. The service isn't free but was definitely worth it for me considering how much I was claiming on my amendment. I don't want to quote an exact price since it might have changed, but it was reasonable compared to having a tax professional handle everything. For me, the peace of mind knowing I was submitting exactly what the IRS needed was worth it. I'd suggest checking their site for current pricing based on your specific situation.
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Kelsey Hawkins
Just wanted to follow up - I decided to try taxr.ai after posting here and WOW what a lifesaver! I was about ready to give up on my 7202 amendment because I couldn't figure out what documents to send. The system created this super detailed checklist for my exact situation (I'm a gig worker who got COVID twice in 2021). It even gave me a template for creating a self-employment time log showing my normal working hours versus the days I was sick and couldn't work. I sent in exactly what they recommended three weeks ago, and I just got confirmation that my amendment is being processed! I was so close to missing that 30-day deadline too. Definitely recommend checking it out if you're confused about documentation requirements.
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Dylan Fisher
If you're still waiting for responses from the IRS about your amendment, you might want to try Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was in a similar situation with a 7202 amendment and needed answers fast before my 30-day deadline. I spent days trying to call the IRS directly and could never get through. Claimyr helped me actually get through to a real person at the IRS who explained exactly what documentation I needed to submit. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent I spoke with clarified that for Form 7202, they specifically needed a detailed log of the days I couldn't work, along with the medical documentation. This was information I couldn't find anywhere online! Saved me from having my amendment rejected a second time.
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Edwards Hugo
•How does this even work? IRS phone lines are notoriously impossible to get through. Are you saying this service somehow jumps the queue or something?
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Gianna Scott
•Sounds like a scam to me. Nobody can magically get through to the IRS faster than anyone else. They probably just keep auto-dialing and charge you for the privilege.
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Dylan Fisher
•It's not queue jumping in the way you might think. The service uses an automated system that continuously redials the IRS using their algorithms to navigate the phone system during optimal times. When they secure a place in line, they call you and connect you directly to the IRS agent. You're still waiting in the official IRS queue, but you don't have to personally sit through hours of redials and holds. I understand the skepticism, I felt the same way! But it's not some magic backdoor to the IRS - it's just technology handling the frustrating part of getting through the initial phone system. Once you're connected, you're speaking directly with regular IRS agents through the normal channels. I was desperate with my deadline approaching and it actually worked for me. The peace of mind from speaking directly with an IRS representative about my specific case was worth it.
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Gianna Scott
I take back what I said about Claimyr. I was totally skeptical but decided to try it anyway since I was getting nowhere with the IRS phone line for my 7202 amendment questions. Got connected to an actual IRS agent in about 45 minutes (instead of the 2+ hours I spent previously getting disconnected). The agent walked me through exactly what documentation I needed for my situation - turns out I was overthinking it. For anyone curious, the agent told me they mainly want to see: 1. Proof of COVID (test results) 2. Documentation showing when you couldn't work (calendar with notes was sufficient) 3. For caring for kids, they wanted school/daycare closure notices Saved me from sending in a massive packet of unnecessary paperwork. Already mailed in my amendment with just what they asked for.
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Alfredo Lugo
Friendly reminder that Form 7202 credits have specific eligibility requirements beyond just having COVID. The credits were designed for self-employed people who couldn't work because they: - Had COVID symptoms and were seeking diagnosis - Were advised by healthcare provider to self-isolate - Were caring for someone advised to self-isolate - Were caring for children whose school/daycare closed due to COVID You need to make sure you qualify under one of these categories, not just that you tested positive. The IRS is likely asking for documentation to verify which category you fall under and that you actually lost work/income because of it.
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Emma Morales
•This is really helpful, thank you! Do you know if there's a specific format they want for documenting lost work time? I track my hours on a digital calendar, would printouts of this with COVID days highlighted be sufficient?
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Alfredo Lugo
•There's no official IRS format for documenting lost work time, so calendar printouts with highlighted COVID days would be perfectly acceptable. Make sure the calendar clearly shows your normal working hours/days compared to the days you couldn't work. To strengthen your documentation, I'd suggest creating a simple spreadsheet or statement summarizing the information: dates you were ill, how many hours you typically work on those days, and a brief note about why you couldn't work (symptoms, caring for child, etc.). This gives the IRS a clear overview while the calendar printouts serve as supporting evidence. Remember to be truthful and only claim credits for days you legitimately couldn't work due to COVID reasons. The IRS is scrutinizing these claims carefully since there was unfortunately some abuse of these credits.
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Sydney Torres
Quick tip from someone who successfully claimed Form 7202 credits: make copies of EVERYTHING before you send it in! I mailed in my documentation last year and the IRS somehow lost part of it, which delayed my refund by months. Also, don't forget that for 2021, you can claim up to 10 days of sick leave (max $2,000) and up to 60 days of family leave (max $12,000) as a self-employed person. Make sure your calculation on Form 7202 is correct before submitting.
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Kaitlyn Jenkins
•I thought the max for qualified sick leave was $5,110? Did they change it for 2021? Now I'm worried I calculated mine wrong...
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Evelyn Xu
I went through this exact situation last year with my 7202 amendment! The IRS letter can be confusing, but here's what worked for me: **What to include in your mailed package:** - Complete signed 1040X form - Form 7202 with your calculations - A simple cover letter explaining your situation - COVID test results for you and your kids - Documentation showing you couldn't work (even a handwritten log of dates/hours missed is fine) - Any school closure notices or daycare communications if applicable **For the "family leave documentation" they mentioned:** This just means proof you were caring for your sick children. Doctor visit records, appointment confirmations, or even a simple statement explaining when each child was sick and how it affected your work schedule. The key is showing the IRS that you legitimately couldn't work due to COVID-related reasons. Keep it organized but don't overthink it - they're not looking for anything fancy, just clear evidence of your eligibility. Send everything certified mail and keep copies! The 30-day deadline is firm, so don't delay. Good luck with your amendment - these credits can be substantial and are worth the effort to document properly.
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