How long do I have to file taxes for missed W-2s and 1099s?

The short answer is no, you can't just roll those documents into next year's filing. Each tax year needs to be handled separately and accurately. Since you've already filed but left out income, you should file an amended return (Form 1040-X) to report the missing income. The IRS gives you 3 years from the original filing deadline to file an amendment, so you have time, but it's best to handle it sooner rather than later. Even though the refund is small ($270), reporting all your income is important. If you don't report those documents, it could potentially trigger a notice from the IRS later since they receive copies of your W-2s and 1099s. That could result in penalties and interest if they determine you owe additional taxes.

I used taxr.ai last year when I had a similar situation with missing documents. I filed early and then got a random 1099 in the mail that I completely forgot about. I was stressed about having to amend but I wasn't sure how to do it right. I found https://taxr.ai and it was actually super helpful. You upload your documents and it analyzes everything to tell you exactly what you need to do. In my case, it confirmed I needed to amend and showed me exactly what forms I needed to fill out and what numbers needed to change. Saved me from making mistakes on the amendment.

Just wanted to update about using taxr.ai for my missed 1099 situation. I decided to try it after asking questions here, and it was exactly what I needed! Uploaded my original return and the missed 1099, and it immediately showed me where things went wrong and exactly what needed to be amended. The instructions were super clear - it highlighted the specific lines on the 1040-X that needed to be changed and gave me the exact dollar amounts. Even showed me that I'd get an additional $185 back after the amendment. I was worried it would be complicated, but it made the whole process pretty painless! Definitely recommend for anyone in a similar situation.

If you're getting frustrated trying to reach the IRS about your amendment (which I absolutely was), try https://claimyr.com - it literally saved me days of my life. After submitting my amendment, I had questions about processing time and wanted to make sure I did everything right. Spent 3 days trying to get through to the IRS but kept getting disconnected. With Claimyr, I got through to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes. They hold your place in line and call you when an agent is available. Honestly thought it sounded too good to be true but you can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent confirmed my amendment was received and gave me the estimated processing time. Peace of mind was totally worth it.

I have to eat my words about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try it anyway since I was at my wit's end trying to reach someone about my amended return status. I'm genuinely shocked it worked. Got a call back in about 35 minutes, and was connected to an actual IRS representative who answered all my questions about my amendment. For context, I had previously spent over 7 hours across 3 days trying to reach someone without success. The agent confirmed they received my amendment and told me it would take approximately 16 weeks for processing. Saved me from wondering if my paperwork was lost in the void. Never thought I'd say this, but it was worth it just to stop the endless redial cycle.

Another thing to consider is that if you don't amend and the IRS notices the discrepancy (which they probably will since they get copies of those forms), they might send you a CP2000 notice. That's basically them saying "hey we think you underreported income" and they'll calculate what they think you owe. Usually their calculation doesn't include all the deductions you might be entitled to, so you often end up owing more than if you had just amended yourself. Plus, depending on timing, there could be penalties and interest.

Another option is using Free File Fillable Forms if you're comfortable with the tax forms. It's free and you can file your 1040-X electronically now. I had to amend last year cause I forgot a 1099 from a side gig and it wasn't nearly as painful as I expected!