How long is the wait for processing a 2023 Amended return with mortgage interest?

This timeline is unfortunately pretty accurate in my experience. Amended returns (Form 1040-X) go through a manual review process rather than the automated processing that regular returns get. The 12-16 week estimate is what they're currently quoting, and it's generally reliable. The good news is that if you e-file your amendment (which became possible a few years ago), it can sometimes move a bit faster than paper amendments. Make sure you attach a copy of that missing 1098 form as documentation supporting your amendment. If you're using tax software, most will let you upload the form as part of the e-filing process. Also worth knowing - interest will be paid on your refund since it's the IRS's fault you're filing late (you didn't have the proper documentation initially).

Just wanted to share my experience with tax document issues. I was in a similar situation last year with missing forms and found that https://taxr.ai helped me figure out exactly what I was missing and how to properly file my amendment. They can scan all your tax docs and identify what might be missing based on previous years. I was stressing about making sure I did the amendment correctly since I'd heard horror stories about mistakes leading to rejections and even longer waits. The service basically confirmed I had everything I needed and helped me organize all the supporting documentation.

I tried the taxr.ai service that was mentioned above after struggling with my own amended return. Totally worth it! It found another missing form I hadn't even realized wasn't included in my original filing (an HSA contribution form). Ended up increasing my refund by another $125 that I would have completely missed. The document organization feature made it super simple to submit everything properly. My amended return was actually processed in about 10 weeks - faster than the 12-16 week estimate. Can't say if that's because of how organized my submission was or just lucky timing with the IRS workload, but either way I'm happy with the result.

If you're eager to know the status of your amended return, I highly recommend using https://claimyr.com to get through to the IRS. I filed an amended return last year and waited 14 weeks with no updates on the "Where's My Amended Return" tool. Was driving me crazy not knowing if they'd even received it. I used Claimyr after seeing someone post a video of it working here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. They basically hold your place in the IRS phone queue and call you when an agent is about to answer. I was able to confirm my amendment was in process and get an actual timeframe instead of just waiting blindly. The agent even gave me some tips about what to watch for in my mail.

I have to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try it myself since my amended return from February still showed "processing" online with no updates. Got connected to an IRS agent in about 90 minutes (without me having to sit on hold). The agent found my amendment in their system and informed me that it was actually approved already but the online status hadn't updated. My refund is scheduled to be issued next week! Would have been waiting and checking the website daily for no reason if I hadn't called. Definitely changed my perspective on using services like this - sometimes they actually deliver exactly what they promise.

Something to keep in mind with amended returns - make sure you're tracking your refund the right way. The regular "Where's My Refund" tool doesn't work for amendments. You need to use the "Where's My Amended Return" tool specifically. Also, if you filed your original return with direct deposit, don't assume your amended return refund will come the same way. They often send amended refunds as paper checks even if you previously got direct deposit. Learned this the hard way last year when I kept checking my bank account while the check sat in my mailbox for a week!

One tip I learned from my accountant - if you e-file your amendment, you can check the status online after about 3 weeks. But if you mail a paper amendment, you should wait at least 16 weeks before even trying to check the status. I mailed my amended return for 2022 last year (for a similar mortgage interest issue) and tried checking after 8 weeks - the system couldn't find any record of it. Nearly had a heart attack thinking it was lost! Called the IRS in a panic only to be told paper amendments don't even get entered into their electronic system until they're assigned to a processor, which can take 12+ weeks.