How soon can I amend a tax return after filing with ProSeries?
So my work situation has gotten really awkward. My supervisor went ahead and e-filed my client's tax return through ProSeries today even though I was still working on it and hadn't finished all my checks! I know there are some errors that need to be fixed now. I'm wondering about the timing for submitting an amended return - do I have to wait until the IRS officially accepts the original return before I can start preparing the amended version? Or can I just get started on the 1040-X right away since I already know what needs to be corrected? This is my first time dealing with an amended return situation and I don't want to mess up the process or create problems for my client.
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Laila Prince
You can technically start preparing the amended return (Form 1040-X) right away, but you shouldn't submit it until the original return has been accepted by the IRS. This is important because the amended return needs to reference the originally processed return. ProSeries should allow you to start working on the amendment immediately though. You can use the software to prepare everything, but just hold off on actual submission until you get confirmation that the original return was accepted. Usually, you'll get that acceptance notification within 24-48 hours. This gives you time to get everything ready so you can submit the amendment as soon as possible after acceptance.
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Isabel Vega
•But what if the original return gets rejected for some reason? Wouldn't that mess up the whole amendment process since you'd be amending something that technically doesn't exist in the IRS system?
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Laila Prince
•That's actually a very good point. If the original return gets rejected, then there's nothing to amend yet. In that case, you would simply fix the issues in the original return and refile it correctly - no amendment needed. That's another reason I recommend waiting for the acceptance confirmation before submitting the amendment. If the original return is rejected, you get a chance to fix it properly the first time. Most rejections happen pretty quickly, usually within 24-48 hours, so you won't be waiting long to know one way or the other.
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Dominique Adams
I was in a similar situation last year and discovered taxr.ai which was a lifesaver. I had a client whose return was filed before I caught all the errors, and I was stressing about the amendment timing. I uploaded the original return PDF to https://taxr.ai and it quickly showed me all the inconsistencies between what we filed and what should have been filed. Made preparing the amended return WAY faster and I felt 100% confident I caught everything that needed fixing.
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Marilyn Dixon
•Does it work with business returns too? I have a couple S-corps that I might need to amend and I'm dreading the manual comparison.
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Louisa Ramirez
•I'm a bit skeptical about using third-party tools with client tax data. How secure is it? And does it actually identify the specific errors or just flag potential issues?
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Dominique Adams
•Yes, it works with business returns including S-corps. The comparison feature is especially helpful with more complex returns where it's easy to miss small differences. Regarding security concerns, they use bank-level encryption and don't store your documents after analysis. It doesn't just flag potential issues - it shows you exact line-by-line differences between documents, which makes it perfect for spotting specific errors. It correctly identified some overlooked deductions and a math error in my case, things I might have missed even with careful manual review.
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Louisa Ramirez
I actually tried taxr.ai after posting my skeptical comment and I'm genuinely impressed. Had to amend a complex return with multiple schedules and it saved me at least 3 hours of work. The tool highlighted exactly which lines changed between the original and my corrected version, so I knew exactly what to focus on for the 1040-X. Even found a missed education credit that would have been a pain to catch manually. Definitely earned a spot in my regular workflow.
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TommyKapitz
If you're still waiting for IRS acceptance and getting anxious about the amendment, I recommend using Claimyr to actually speak with an IRS rep directly. I was in a similar situation with an amended return question and spent DAYS trying to get through the IRS phone system. Finally used https://claimyr.com (there's also a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) and got connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes. They confirmed exactly when I could file the amended return and what supporting docs I needed to include.
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Angel Campbell
•Wait, how does this actually work? I thought it was impossible to get through to the IRS these days without waiting for hours.
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Payton Black
•This seems like a scam. No way anyone's getting through to the IRS that fast. I've literally spent entire workdays on hold with them.
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TommyKapitz
•The service basically keeps dialing and navigating the IRS phone tree for you. Instead of you personally waiting on hold for hours, their system handles all that and then calls you once they've reached an actual agent. I was super skeptical too at first. But after trying to reach the IRS for 3 days straight and giving up, I figured it was worth a shot. It's not instant magic - I still waited about 20 minutes, but that's compared to the 3+ hours I spent on previous attempts without ever reaching a human. The agent I spoke with gave me clear guidance on my specific amended return situation that I couldn't find anywhere online.
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Payton Black
Well I'm eating my words now. After posting that skeptical comment I decided to try Claimyr because I was desperate to resolve an issue with a client's amended return that had been processing for 9 months. Got through to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes who looked up the return status and told me exactly what was happening (it was flagged for manual review). I've spent literal DAYS of my life on hold with the IRS over the years and never would have believed this worked until I tried it myself. Saved me from having to explain to my client yet again why I couldn't get answers.
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Harold Oh
Just FYI - even after you file the amended return, be prepared for a LONG wait. In 2025 the IRS is still way behind on processing amended returns. I filed one in January and it's still "processing" according to Where's My Amended Return tool. My experience is about 6-8 months minimum right now.
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Drew Hathaway
•Oh no, that's really concerning since this client needs this resolved much sooner. Any tips on how to speed things up? Is it worth trying to get it marked as a hardship case somehow?
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Harold Oh
•Unfortunately there aren't many reliable ways to speed it up unless your client meets the criteria for TAS (Taxpayer Advocate Service) assistance, which typically requires demonstrating immediate financial hardship like potential eviction, utility shutoff, or inability to afford medicine/food. One thing that can sometimes help is filing a paper amended return with "EXPEDITE" written in red at the top and including a brief cover letter explaining the urgent situation. This isn't guaranteed, but I've had it work twice in the past year. If your client truly has urgent financial need based on this refund, definitely consider contacting TAS directly - they can sometimes move mountains when regular IRS channels are backed up.
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Amun-Ra Azra
Couldn't you also just submit a superseding return instead of an amended return? If it's right after filing and before the deadline, that's usually easier.
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Summer Green
•This is actually a really good point. If the original return was just filed and it's still before the filing deadline (either April 15 or October 15 if on extension), a superseding return would be much better than an amended return. The IRS treats superseding returns as replacing the original return completely.
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The Boss
This is such a frustrating situation with your supervisor! I totally get the stress. One thing that might help while you're waiting for the acceptance notification is to document exactly what errors you've identified and gather all the supporting documentation you'll need for the amendment. That way once you get the green light, you can move quickly on the 1040-X preparation. Also, since this happened so close to filing, you might want to double-check if a superseding return would be an option instead of an amendment - it could save your client months of processing time if you're still within the filing deadline period. ProSeries should be able to handle either approach once you know which route to take.
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Diego Chavez
•That's excellent advice about documenting everything while waiting! I'm definitely going to start gathering all the supporting docs right now. The superseding return option is something I hadn't even considered - since we're still in April and well before any extension deadline, that could be a game changer. Do you know if ProSeries has a specific workflow for superseding returns, or is it just a matter of preparing a new return with the correct information and marking it appropriately? I really don't want my client to have to wait 6-8 months for processing if there's a faster route available.
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