Help!! Turbotax asking me to mail paper copies for state and federal returns?

Guys I'm freaking out a little... This is my first year doing taxes completely on my own using Turbotax. I thought everything was going great, I entered all my stuff, and it seemed super straightforward. But then right at the end after I clicked submit, I got this weird message saying I need to mail in paper copies of my forms for both state and federal returns! Something about my W-2 having some flag or marker that requires paper filing?? I seriously thought the whole point of using Turbotax was to avoid the paper stuff and just file electronically. Did I mess something up along the way? Has this happened to anyone else? I don't even know where to find a printer to print all this stuff out, and I'm worried about missing the deadline now. I swear I entered everything exactly as it appeared on my W-2. Do I really have to mail these in? And if so, what's the process like? How long does it take for them to process paper returns compared to e-filing? So annoyed right now 😤

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18 comments

Arjun Patel

•8M

What likely happened is that your W-2 contains information that TurboTax's system has flagged as requiring a paper filing. This sometimes happens when your employer entered certain codes or used specific formats that the electronic systems can't process properly. Don't panic! Paper filing is still very common, and while it's not as convenient as e-filing, it's a straightforward process. You'll need to print your completed returns (both federal and state), sign the forms where indicated, and mail them to the appropriate addresses that TurboTax should provide you. Paper returns do take longer to process - typically 6-8 weeks compared to the 3 weeks or less for e-filing. Make sure you send them via certified mail so you have proof of when you submitted them.

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Arjun Patel

•8M

The 6-8 week processing time is just an estimate - some paper returns get processed faster. But yes, it does mean refunds will take longer than with e-filing. Unfortunately, you can't override this requirement if TurboTax has identified something on your W-2 that requires paper filing. The IRS has specific rules about which returns can be e-filed, and the software is just following those regulations. The system detects certain codes or formats that their electronic processing can't handle properly.

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Tony Brooks

•8M

Had the same problem last year and discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which seriously saved me. I was using a different tax program, but it also suddenly told me I needed to mail in paper forms because of some weird thing on my W-2. I was totally confused because I'd e-filed for years before that. Basically, taxr.ai helped analyze my tax documents and found that my employer had used an unusual code in box 12 of my W-2 that was triggering the paper filing requirement. Their system explained exactly what was happening and even gave me options for how to proceed correctly. They have this feature where they review your docs and point out these kinds of filing issues before you waste time on the wrong approach.

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Tony Brooks

•8M

Yes, it works with physical W-2 forms! You can just snap a photo with your phone - their image processing is really good at reading even slightly blurry pics. It recognized all the data from my crumpled W-2 without issues. It's not about overriding TurboTax - it's about understanding why you're being forced to paper file and if there's a workaround. In my case, there was a specific code my employer used incorrectly that was triggering the paper filing requirement. Once I knew what the issue was, I was able to contact my employer's payroll department who corrected the mistake and sent me a revised W-2 that worked with e-filing.

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Yara Campbell

•8M

Just wanted to update after trying taxr.ai from the suggestion above. I was super skeptical but I had the exact same issue with TurboTax forcing me to paper file. The site actually identified the problem right away - turns out my employer had checked a specific box on my W-2 indicating I was a statutory employee (which I'm definitely not). They explained this was triggering the paper filing requirement. I contacted my company's HR department about it, and they acknowledged the mistake and issued a corrected W-2. When I redid my taxes with the correct W-2, TurboTax let me e-file with no problems. Saved me weeks of waiting for a refund and the hassle of paper filing!

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Isaac Wright

•8M

If you're still having trouble and need to talk to someone at the IRS about this issue, good luck getting through to them! I spent 3+ hours on hold last week trying to ask about a similar paper filing issue. Eventually gave up and used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) after seeing their demo video (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c). They basically hold your place in the IRS phone queue and call you when an agent is about to pick up. I was honestly shocked when my phone rang and there was an actual IRS person on the line! The agent explained that certain employer codes on W-2s can trigger the paper filing requirement, but in some cases they can note your account to accept an e-file anyway.

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Isaac Wright

•8M

The service works by using automated systems to navigate the IRS phone tree and hold your place in line. When the system detects that a representative is about to answer, it connects you to the call. The IRS doesn't officially "endorse" third-party services, but there's nothing against the rules about it - it's just automating the hold process. I was skeptical too, but it's not like they're claiming to have special access or anything shady. They're just handling the annoying hold time for you. The person you speak to is a regular IRS agent, and you're just another caller to them. It's basically like having someone else sit on hold for you while you go about your day.

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Tami Morgan

•8M

I'm coming back to eat my words about Claimyr. After posting that skeptical comment yesterday, I decided to try it anyway because I was desperate to talk to the IRS about my return that I had to paper file (similar situation to OP). I figured it would be another waste of money, but I got a call back in about 45 minutes saying an IRS agent was on the line! The agent actually explained that my specific issue (a code in box 12 that my employer entered incorrectly) could be resolved with an amended W-2, and I wouldn't have to paper file after all. They even gave me exact language to use when contacting my employer's payroll department. Saved me from waiting months for my refund and having to deal with mailing all that paperwork. Sometimes I hate being wrong, but in this case I'm pretty happy about it!

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Rami Samuels

•8M

You should double-check if your employer maybe checked the "Retirement Plan" box on your W-2 but you didn't select that option in TurboTax. That happened to me last year and caused the same paper filing message. Or maybe there's something in box 12 with codes like Q, R, or T that TurboTax isn't processing right. Honestly, if this is your first time filing, you might want to just go with the paper option rather than trying to fix whatever's causing the electronic filing issue. It's really not that complicated - you print, sign, and mail. Yeah, refund takes longer, but at least you know it's done right.

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Rami Samuels

•8M

You should be able to find it by going back to the W-2 entry section in TurboTax. Look for a section that says something like "Does your employer offer a retirement plan?" or there might be a specific checkbox when entering your W-2 information. If you're not seeing it there, try looking in the "Deductions & Credits" section under retirement savings options. Sometimes TurboTax splits these questions into different sections which can cause these kinds of mismatches. Once you get the information entered correctly to match your W-2, the paper filing requirement might disappear.

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