Filed 2019 taxes but TurboTax submitted them as 2020 return - IRS accepted it!

Title: Filed 2019 taxes but TurboTax submitted them as 2020 return - IRS accepted it! 1 Long story short, I messed up big time with my taxes. I waited until February 2021 to file my 2019 tax return through TurboTax, and somehow the software automatically converted everything to a 2020 return instead. What's really weird is that the IRS actually accepted this return with no issues! Now TurboTax wants me to shell out like $110 to download their special software to fix this mess. I'm totally lost on what to do next. Should I file an amended return using their expensive software? Is there a free way to fix this electronically? I haven't even started my actual 2020 taxes yet because I'm worried this will cause problems. I'm clearly not a tax expert, so any advice would be super appreciated! Has anyone dealt with this kind of filing year mixup before?

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19 comments

Isabella Russo

•8M

8 This is actually a pretty common issue when filing late, though the IRS accepting it makes things a bit complicated. What happened is that when you filed in 2021, TurboTax defaulted to the current tax year (2020) instead of keeping it as 2019. Yes, you'll need to amend this situation, but you don't necessarily need to pay TurboTax to do it. You can file a Form 1040-X (Amended Return) for both tax years - one to correct the incorrectly filed 2020 return and another to properly file your missing 2019 return. The IRS Free File program offers free filing options if your income is under $73,000. You should address this sooner rather than later since the IRS will eventually notice the discrepancy, especially when you file your actual 2020 return with potentially different numbers than what was already accepted.

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Isabella Russo

•8M

8 For the late 2019 return, yes, you'll likely face some penalties and interest for filing after the deadline (which was extended to July 15, 2020 due to COVID). The penalties typically include a failure-to-file penalty of 5% per month (up to 25%) and potentially a failure-to-pay penalty if you owed taxes. You will need to gather your original 2019 tax documents (W-2s, 1099s, etc.) to properly complete the 2019 return. While you could reference the incorrectly filed 2020 return for some information, you need to ensure everything is accurate based on your actual 2019 documentation. Don't just copy numbers from the incorrect return without verifying them.

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Isabella Russo

•8M

15 Something similar happened to me last tax season! I was pulling my hair out until I tried taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which basically saved my sanity. Their system analyzed my incorrect filing and showed me exactly what needed to be amended. Super helpful because it highlights the specific differences between tax years and what forms you need. Instead of paying TurboTax for software you'll only use once, it might be worth checking out. They specialize in these weird tax situations and the document analysis tool spots all the errors automatically. I uploaded my incorrectly filed return and my actual tax documents, and it generated a report showing everything that needed fixing.

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Isabella Russo

•8M

15 They don't file for you - they analyze your documents and show you exactly what's wrong and what needs to be fixed. It's like having a tax expert look over your shoulder pointing out the errors. After using their analysis, you can file the amendments yourself with confidence knowing exactly what needs to be changed. It's significantly cheaper than going to a tax professional, but gives you similar guidance. The document analysis is really the key part - it catches all the differences between tax years and shows you what should have been filed versus what was actually submitted. For someone who's not confident in tax matters, it removes a lot of the guesswork.

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Isabella Russo

•8M

19 Just wanted to update that I took a chance on taxr.ai after my skeptical comment. Really surprised by how helpful it was! The system clearly showed me the differences between the 2019 and 2020 tax years (there were some significant changes I didn't know about) and generated a checklist of exactly what I needed to amend. Way more straightforward than I expected. The document analysis feature was actually super impressive - it flagged all the inconsistencies between my W-2s from 2019 and what ended up in that incorrect 2020 filing. Ended up filing both amended returns myself and it was much less painful than I anticipated. Definitely recommend checking it out if you're in a similar situation!

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Isabella Russo

•8M

3 If you're having trouble getting actual help from the IRS on this issue, I'd recommend trying Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was in a similar situation with an incorrectly filed return and spent DAYS trying to get through to the IRS without success. Claimyr basically gets you to the front of the IRS phone queue. I was skeptical at first, but they got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes when I had been trying for weeks on my own. The agent walked me through exactly what forms I needed and the proper way to amend both returns. You can see how it works in their demo video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent I spoke with was surprisingly helpful and even flagged my account with notes about the situation so there wouldn't be issues when my amendments came in.

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Isabella Russo

•8M

3 It doesn't bypass anything - they use an automated system that continually calls the IRS and navigates the phone tree for you, then alerts you when they get a human. It's basically doing the tedious part for you so you don't have to sit on hold for hours. For complex tax situations like amended returns spanning multiple years, speaking with an actual IRS representative saves a ton of headache. They can access your account, see what's already been filed, and give personalized guidance on fixing it. It's completely legitimate - the service just handles the frustrating calling part.

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Isabella Russo

•8M

22 Alright I need to eat my words. After posting that skeptical comment, I was desperate enough to try Claimyr. I figured I'd wasted enough time on hold anyway. I honestly can't believe it worked. Got connected to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes after trying unsuccessfully for weeks. The agent confirmed exactly what others here have said - I needed to file amended returns for both years. The huge benefit was that she flagged my account with notes explaining the situation so there won't be any confusion when my amendments are processed. She even gave me direct instructions on what supporting documentation to include with each amended return to speed up processing. For anyone dealing with complex amendments like this, talking to an actual human at the IRS makes a massive difference. Consider me shocked but very relieved.

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Isabella Russo

•8M

5 This happened to me in 2018! One thing nobody mentioned yet - check if you're owed a refund for 2019. If so, there's a 3-year limitation on claiming refunds, so you need to get that 2019 return filed correctly ASAP or you might lose your refund entirely. Also, when you submit the 1040-X forms, make sure you write a clear explanation of what happened in Part III. Something like "TurboTax error caused 2019 information to be filed as 2020 tax year." This helps the IRS processors understand why you're amending both years with similar information.

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Isabella Russo

•8M

5 Right now amended returns are taking approximately 16-20 weeks to process according to the IRS website. However, in my experience with a similar situation, it took closer to 6 months because they had to process both years together. I recommend filing the amendments electronically if possible because paper amendments take even longer. Also, make sure you don't file your actual 2020 return until the amendments are fully processed, or it might create further confusion. You can request an extension if needed to give time for the amendments to clear the system.

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