Should I file amended return now or wait for IRS letter coming next month?
Just got off the phone with an IRS representative who told me I need to amend my tax return. She mentioned I should receive an official letter by 04/15, but she already read the contents to me over the phone. The issue is apparently related to some income I didn't report correctly. Should I go ahead and file the 1040X now or should I wait until I actually receive the physical letter in mid-April? Anyone been in this situation before? I'm just worried about delaying this any longer since it's already been processing for weeks.
39 comments


Miguel Herrera
You should definitely wait for the actual letter to arrive. Even though the agent read it to you, there could be specific details in the letter that you'll need to properly complete the amendment. The letter will contain your exact tax discrepancy amount and likely some instructions specific to your situation. It's better to wait a few more weeks and do it right than rush and potentially make another mistake that causes more delays.
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Ava Thompson
ā¢That makes sense. I'm just anxious to get this resolved. Do you know if the letter will specify exactly what needs to be amended or will I still need to figure that out?
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Miguel Herrera
ā¢The letter should specify what needs to be corrected. It'll have a notice number (like CP2000) and will outline the discrepancy they found. If it's income related, it'll show what they have on record vs what you reported.
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Zainab Ali
ā¢I second this advice. The IRS letter will have a notice number and specific instructions. Trust me, you NEED that paper in hand before doing anything!
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Connor Murphy
I had exactly this problem last year and wasted so much time trying to figure things out on my own. Then I discovered taxr.ai and it completely changed how I handled my taxes. The tool actually scans your transcript and explains everything in normal human language! It told me exactly what I needed to amend and how to do it correctly. Saved me hours of research and frustration. You should check it out at https://taxr.ai
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Yara Nassar
ā¢Sounds interesting. How exactly does it work? Does it just read your transcript or does it do more?
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Connor Murphy
ā¢It does WAY more than just read the transcript. It analyzes all the codes and dates, explains what each one means for YOUR specific situation, and tells you what actions you need to take. I was totally lost in IRS jargon before using it.
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Yara Nassar
ā¢OMG I just tried taxr.ai and it's AMAZING! I've been struggling with my transcript for months and this tool broke everything down in minutes. If you're dealing with IRS issues, YOU NEED THIS. Seriously life-changing and worth every penny!
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StarGazer101
After getting stuck in IRS limbo for months, I finally got someone on the phone to explain my amendment situation using Claimyr (claimyr.com). Got connected to a real person in less than an hour instead of calling for days. The agent walked me through exactly what I needed to do for my amendment, way better than trying to interpret a letter myself. It was the best money I've ever spent to get my refund released quickly.
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Keisha Jackson
ā¢does this actually work? seems too good to be true given how impossible it is to reach the IRS š¤
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StarGazer101
ā¢It absolutely works. I was skeptical too, but after 3 weeks of trying to get through on my own, I was desperate. Got a callback within 45 min and the agent resolved my issue right away. Talking to a real human at the IRS made all the difference.
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Paolo Romano
ā¢another app promising miracles... what makes this any different from all the scams out there?
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StarGazer101
ā¢The difference is it actually does what it says - gets you through to an IRS agent. Nothing sketchy about it. They don't file anything for you or ask for personal info - they just solve the impossible problem of getting someone on the phone. My refund was released 2 days after I finally talked to someone.
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Amina Diop
WAIT FOR THE LETTER. I made this mistake last tax season and ended up amending incorrectly because I misunderstood what the agent told me over the phone. Had to do a second amendment which delayed my refund by months. The letter has specific instructions and codes that you'll need.
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Oliver Schmidt
I know its frustrating to wait, but definitely hold off until you get the official letter. IRS agents can sometimes provide incomplete info over the phone, and the letter will have your specific details and error codes. Plus, if you amend before getting the letter, your amendment and their adjustment might cross in the system and create more problems.
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Ava Thompson
ā¢That's a good point about the potential for them crossing in the system. I hadn't considered that. I'll wait for the letter.
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Natasha Volkov
The IRS is such a disaster. I filed my taxes perfectly and still had to amend because THEY made an error processing my return. Then they sent me a letter with the wrong amounts. Then I amended based on their letter and they said I did it wrong. Complete 𤔠show.
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Javier Torres
ā¢OMG SAME. It's like they purposely make everything confusing just to collect penalties and interest. šÆ
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Emma Wilson
ā¢Dealing with the IRS is literally my villain origin story at this point lol
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QuantumLeap
Here's what you need to know about amending after an IRS call: ⢠ALWAYS wait for the official letter - it contains specific codes and instructions you need ⢠The letter will have a notice number (CP2000, CP3219, etc.) that tells you exactly what type of issue it is ⢠The letter contains exact dollar amounts that may differ from what was said on the phone ⢠You have 30 days from the letter date to respond before further action is taken ⢠If income is missing, you'll need to attach documentation with your 1040X ⢠Keep copies of EVERYTHING I've been through this process multiple times, and I cannot stress enough how important it is to have the actual letter. In the meantime, I'd recommend using taxr.ai to help you understand your transcript and prepare for what's coming. It's been a lifesaver for deciphering IRS documents.
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Ava Thompson
ā¢Thank you for this detailed response. This is super helpful. I'll definitely wait for the letter and check out taxr.ai in the meantime.
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Malik Johnson
ā¢THIS is good advice! š I'd add that if you're really anxious, you can pull your wage and income transcript from the IRS website to see what income they have on file for you that might be missing from your return.
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Isabella Santos
dude the irs is the absolute worst. i waited 11 months for my refund last year because of an amendment. if i were you id wait for the letter but prepare everything now so you can file the amendment the second you get it. bureaucratic nightmare.
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Ravi Sharma
Whaaat was the issue they mentioned? Was it unreported income or something else? That might affect how you should proceed.
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Ava Thompson
ā¢Yeah it was some 1099 income from a side gig I did that apparently didn't get included correctly when I filed. I thought it was all taken care of but apparently not.
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Ravi Sharma
ā¢Ah yeah, that's common. Definitely wait for the letter then because it'll show the exact amount they have on record vs what you reported. The difference might not be what the agent said.
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Freya Larsen
I went through this exact situation in February. The agent told me I needed to amend, but when I got the actual letter it was just a proposed adjustment that I could accept without filing an amendment at all! Just had to sign and return their form. Definitely wait.
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Omar Hassan
Want the truth? The IRS systems are so backed up that even if you filed the amendment today, they probably wouldn't process it until after you get the letter anyway š So might as well wait and do it right!
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Chloe Taylor
ā¢lmaooo this is so true. my amendment from last april still says "processing" š¤”
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ShadowHunter
ā¢My friend submitted an amendment in 2023 and just got it processed last month. The entire system is broken!
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Diego Ramirez
Curious - what tax software did you use to file originally? I've heard some of them miss certain types of income sometimes.
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Ava Thompson
ā¢I used TurboTax. I thought it was supposed to catch everything but I guess not š
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Diego Ramirez
ā¢TurboTax has been missing stuff lately. They've gotten really bad about certain types of income. A lot of people in this sub have switched to other options.
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Anastasia Sokolov
FYI if you amend, expect to wait 4-6 months minimum for processing. I filed an amendment last June and it just finished processing last week. The whole system is a disaster right now with massive backlogs.
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Sean O'Connor
One important thing nobody mentioned - if you had a refund coming on your original return, the IRS will hold it until your amendment is processed. So if youre expecting money back, prepare to wait a LONG time.
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Ava Thompson
ā¢Ughhh that's frustrating. I was expecting about $1,200 back. Guess I won't see that anytime soon š©
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Zara Ahmed
ā¢If you need to check on your amendment status once you file it, use this number: 866-464-2050. It's the IRS amendment hotline and has a lot less wait than the regular number.
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Malik Johnson
I've been in a similar situation and definitely agree with everyone saying to wait for the letter. The IRS correspondence will have specific notice codes and exact amounts that you'll need for your amendment. Phone agents sometimes give incomplete or slightly incorrect information, and you don't want to file an amendment based on partial details. The letter will also tell you exactly what documentation you need to include with your 1040X. I know it's frustrating to wait when you just want to get it resolved, but doing it right the first time will save you months of additional delays. In the meantime, you could gather any missing tax documents (like that 1099 you mentioned) so you're ready to go once the letter arrives.
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Eleanor Foster
ā¢This is really solid advice! I'm definitely going to wait for the letter now. It sounds like rushing could just create more problems. Thanks for mentioning gathering the missing documents in advance - that's a great tip to be prepared once the letter arrives. Do you know roughly how long the amendment process usually takes once you submit everything correctly?
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