Is it possible to file a penalty waiver request on form 2210 after submitting a return and receiving an underpayment penalty?
Title: Is it possible to file a penalty waiver request on form 2210 after submitting a return and receiving an underpayment penalty? 1 I already filed my 2023 tax return a couple months ago, and now the IRS has sent me a bill with a penalty for underpayment of estimated taxes. The thing is, I have what I think is a legitimate reason for the underpayment - I spent most of last year taking care of my elderly parents after my dad had a stroke and my mom was diagnosed with early dementia. With all the medical appointments and sorting out their finances, I completely dropped the ball on my quarterly payments. I've been looking at the Form 2210 instructions and they say you're supposed to file it WITH your tax return. But obviously I've already submitted my return... so now what? Can I still submit Form 2210 after the fact to request a penalty waiver? Or should I just write a letter explaining the situation and ask them to waive the penalty that way? The penalty is about $870 which is a lot for me right now since I've had to cut back my work hours to help my parents. Any advice would be really appreciated!
20 comments


Millie Long
7 You can absolutely still file Form 2210 after submitting your return! What you'll need to do is complete Form 2210, checking the box in Part II that indicates you're requesting a waiver due to casualty, disaster, or other unusual circumstances. Then attach a written statement explaining your parents' health situations and how that affected your ability to make timely estimated payments. When you submit it, make sure to include a copy of the penalty notice you received from the IRS. You don't need to file an amended return (Form 1040-X) just for this - the Form 2210 with your explanation will be sufficient. Mail everything to the address shown on the penalty notice you received. The IRS is generally understanding about these kinds of circumstances, especially when they involve family health emergencies. Taking care of elderly parents with serious medical conditions definitely qualifies as an unusual circumstance that could justify a penalty waiver.
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Millie Long
•12 Thanks for the info. Do you know roughly how long it takes for the IRS to process these kinds of waiver requests? I'm worried about them adding more interest while I wait for a decision.
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Millie Long
•7 Processing times vary quite a bit depending on IRS workload, but typically you're looking at 4-8 weeks for them to review and respond to your waiver request. During that time, I would recommend paying the tax portion of what you owe (but not necessarily the penalty) to stop additional interest from accruing on the underlying tax amount. If you're concerned about the timeline, you can also call the phone number on your notice to request that they put a temporary hold on collections while your waiver request is being processed. Make sure to note the date of your call and the name of the representative you speak with.
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Millie Long
5 I went through something similar last year with an underpayment penalty. After weeks of trying to get through to the IRS with no luck, I found this service called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that helped me draft the perfect waiver request letter. The thing I liked most was that they analyzed my specific situation and helped me cite the exact IRS regulations that supported my case. They have this document analysis tool that reviews your penalty notice and recommends the best approach. I was honestly surprised at how easy they made the process - they even helped me understand exactly what supporting documentation to include with my Form 2210.
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Millie Long
•18 Did you need to provide them with any personal documents? I'm always hesitant to share my tax info with third-party services.
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Millie Long
•9 How long did it take for the IRS to process your waiver request after you submitted everything? I'm wondering if using a service like that actually speeds things up or if it's still the same waiting game.
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Millie Long
•5 You only need to upload the penalty notice itself - they don't need your full tax return or anything like that. Their system is encrypted and they delete your documents after analysis. I was cautious too, but they really only need to see the notice to help craft the right response. The IRS processing time was about 6 weeks in my case, which I'm told is pretty standard. Using taxr.ai doesn't speed up the IRS processing time, but it does help ensure your waiver request has the best chance of being approved the first time. That saved me from having to go through multiple rounds of back-and-forth with the IRS, which would have taken much longer.
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Millie Long
9 Just wanted to update everyone. I decided to try taxr.ai after reading about it here, and I'm so glad I did! The service analyzed my situation and helped me create a really detailed waiver request that specifically addressed the "unusual circumstances" provision in the tax code. I just heard back from the IRS yesterday - they approved my waiver request and removed the entire penalty! The letter they sent specifically mentioned that the documentation and explanation I provided were sufficient to justify the waiver. The whole process took about 5 weeks from submission to approval. What a relief not having to pay that penalty! Would definitely recommend this approach to anyone in a similar situation.
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Millie Long
14 If you're still having trouble getting the IRS to process your waiver request, I'd recommend Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). After waiting on hold with the IRS for hours across multiple days with no luck, I found this service that actually gets you connected to a real IRS agent. I was skeptical at first, but they have this interesting system that gets you to the front of the IRS phone queue. You can see how it works in their demo video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. I used it to talk directly with an IRS agent about my penalty waiver situation, and got clear guidance on exactly what documentation they needed to see. The agent I spoke with even noted in my file that I had called about the waiver request, which apparently helped speed up the review once they received my Form 2210.
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Millie Long
•22 Wait, how is this even possible? The IRS phone system is notoriously impossible to get through. Are you saying this service somehow jumps the queue? That seems too good to be true.
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Millie Long
•3 I'm curious - did speaking with an agent actually help your case? Like did they give you insights you couldn't have gotten otherwise? I'm trying to decide if it's worth doing this or just sending in the form with my explanation.
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Millie Long
•14 It's completely legitimate - they use a call system that navigates the IRS phone tree and waits on hold for you, then calls you once they reach a human agent. It's not cutting the line exactly, just automating the hold process so you don't have to sit there for hours. Speaking with an agent definitely made a difference in my case. The agent reviewed my account in real-time and told me exactly what documentation would be most persuasive for my specific situation. She also noted in my file that I had a reasonable cause waiver request coming, which I think helped when they received my paperwork. Most importantly, I got confirmation that my approach was correct before sending everything in, which gave me peace of mind.
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Millie Long
22 I need to apologize for my skepticism about Claimyr. After my doubtful comment, I decided to try it anyway since I was desperate to talk to someone at the IRS about my penalty. It actually worked exactly as described! I got a call back in about 45 minutes with an IRS agent on the line. The agent was super helpful and gave me specific instructions for my situation - told me exactly which form to use (the 843 form in addition to 2210 in my specific case) and what supporting documentation would strengthen my claim. The best part was that the agent put notes in my account about our conversation, so when I sent in my waiver request, it was processed in just 3 weeks. Penalty completely removed! Saved me over $1,200. Sometimes it pays to be wrong about your skepticism!
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Millie Long
16 I went through this exact situation last year. Instead of Form 2210, I was told to file Form 843 (Claim for Refund and Request for Abatement) to request removal of the penalty after the fact. That's specifically designed for requesting abatement of penalties that have already been assessed. Make sure to attach a detailed letter explaining the circumstances with your parents' health issues. The IRS can be surprisingly reasonable when it comes to family medical situations. I had success with a similar issue.
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Millie Long
•11 I've heard conflicting advice about whether to use Form 2210 or Form 843 in this situation. Does it matter which one you use? Is one better than the other for requesting a penalty waiver after filing?
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Millie Long
•16 For underpayment of estimated tax penalties specifically, Form 2210 is the correct form even after filing. Form 843 is more appropriate for other types of penalties like failure-to-file or failure-to-pay penalties. However, if you've already paid the penalty and are requesting a refund, then Form 843 would be the right choice. The key difference is whether you're trying to avoid paying a newly assessed penalty (use 2210) or get a refund for one you've already paid (use 843).
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Millie Long
24 Has anyone tried calling the Taxpayer Advocate Service instead of dealing directly with the IRS? I've heard they can sometimes help with penalty abatement requests when there are extenuating circumstances like caring for ill family members.
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Millie Long
•19 I tried the Taxpayer Advocate Service route for a different penalty issue. They were helpful but told me they can't take cases unless you've already tried resolving it through normal IRS channels first. They're more of a last resort when you're getting nowhere with the regular process.
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Miguel Hernández
I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - got hit with an underpayment penalty after filing my return. Reading through all these responses has been really helpful, especially the clarification about using Form 2210 vs Form 843. One thing I wanted to add is that when you're writing your explanation letter, be as specific as possible about the timeline of events. In my case, I'm documenting exactly when my family emergency occurred and how it overlapped with the quarterly payment due dates. I think showing that clear connection between the circumstances and the missed payments strengthens the case for "unusual circumstances." Also, if anyone has medical documentation (hospital records, doctor's notes, etc.) that shows the severity and timing of family health issues, include copies with your Form 2210. I've read that the IRS appreciates concrete evidence rather than just a written explanation. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's given me confidence that there's a good chance of getting this penalty waived with the right approach!
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Mei Wong
•That's really good advice about being specific with the timeline, Miguel! I'm just starting to put together my own waiver request and hadn't thought about documenting the exact overlap between the emergency and payment due dates. Did you end up including medical records with your Form 2210? I'm wondering if that might be overkill or if it actually helps demonstrate the severity of the situation. My situation involves caring for a family member with a sudden health crisis too, and I have some hospital documentation that shows the timeline. Also, thanks for mentioning the "unusual circumstances" language - I want to make sure I'm using the right terminology when I write my explanation letter.
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