How do I file last year's taxes that were rejected? Need help asap

Thanks for clarifying that I can still file my 2024 taxes - that's a huge relief! I tried looking through my H&R Block account but couldn't find any "prior year returns" section. The only option they give me is to pay for their deluxe package to access last year's info. Do you know if there's a free or cheaper way to handle this? Also, I think the rejection was because I made a typo in my AGI from 2022 when filing my 2023 taxes. Does that sound like something that would cause a rejection?

You're welcome! Yes, an incorrect AGI from the previous year is definitely a common reason for rejection, especially when e-filing. The IRS uses the prior year AGI as a verification method. If H&R Block won't let you access your information without paying, you have a couple options. First, you can request a tax transcript directly from the IRS at irs.gov/transcripts - this is free and will show most of the information that was reported to the IRS for 2023, including any W-2s and 1099s. The transcript won't have your complete return, but it will have the essential information you need to refile.

Does it actually work with the rejected return itself? Like can I upload the PDF of my rejected return and it will tell me what went wrong? My tax situation is complicated with self-employment income and I'm worried about missing something important if I start from scratch.

I'm skeptical about using third-party tools with my tax documents. How do they handle security and privacy? I'm not comfortable uploading my financial info to some random website I've never heard of. No offense but that sounds risky.

It absolutely works with the rejected return PDF! That's exactly what I did - uploaded my rejected return and it highlighted that I had entered $56,780 as my previous year AGI when it should have been $55,780. It was a simple typo but enough to cause the rejection. Regarding security concerns, I totally understand. I was hesitant at first too. They use bank-level encryption and don't store your documents after processing. All data is encrypted end-to-end, and they're SOC 2 compliant which is what made me comfortable enough to try it. You can also delete your data immediately after you're done if you prefer.

Wait, how does this even work? The IRS phone system is notoriously terrible. Are you saying this service somehow jumps the queue or holds your place? That sounds too good to be true.

Sorry but this sounds like a scam. Why would I pay a third party to call the IRS when I can do it myself for free? Plus giving access to my phone number to some random company? No thanks, I'll just keep redialing until I get through.

It doesn't jump the queue - that would be impossible. What it does is uses an automated system to wait in the IRS hold queue for you. When an agent is about to pick up, it connects you directly to that call. You don't have to sit listening to hold music for 2+ hours. I completely understand the skepticism - I felt the same way! But it's just a call-back service, they don't need any personal tax info and they don't interact with the IRS agent at all. You're just saving the time you'd waste on hold. It's the difference between waiting 2-3 hours actively on hold vs getting a call when an agent is ready to talk. For me, that was worth it since I could go about my day instead of being chained to my phone.

Thanks for mentioning this! Do you know if the Free File Fillable Forms will tell me why my return was rejected in the first place? And is there a deadline for filing last year's return before penalties start piling up?

The Free File Fillable Forms will generally show an error code or explanation if your return gets rejected, which should help identify the issue. However, they won't have access to your previously rejected return from another service like H&R Block. Regarding deadlines, if you're owed a refund, you have 3 years from the original filing deadline to submit your return without losing your refund. So for 2023 taxes, you'd have until April 2027. However, if you owe taxes, penalties and interest started accruing after the original due date (April 15, 2024, for 2023 taxes). The failure-to-file penalty is usually 5% of unpaid taxes each month, up to 25%, and the failure-to-pay penalty is 0.5% per month. I'd recommend filing as soon as possible to minimize these penalties if you think you'll owe.

Yes, there can be consequences, but it depends on your situation. If the IRS owes you a refund for 2022, there's no penalty for filing late - but you only have 3 years from the original due date to claim that refund before you lose it forever.

Thanks, I'm pretty sure I was owed a refund of like $800 something. So sounds like I should file that 2022 return ASAP if I still want that money? Didn't realize there was a time limit on getting refunds!