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Amina Diop

TurboTax help, what are the steps for filing an amended return after late W-2?

So I'm in a bit of a pickle with my taxes this year. I filed my return back in mid-February because TurboTax was blowing up my inbox with "file now!" emails and I only had my W-2 from my old job at the time. I figured my current employer would send their W-2 soon, but of course they dragged their feet and I didn't receive it until just last week - like almost two months after I already filed! Now I'm realizing I need to file an amended return to include this second W-2, but I'm completely lost on how to do this. Do I just log back into TurboTax and add the new W-2 somehow? Will I get hit with penalties since I technically filed an incomplete return? I'm so confused about the whole amended return process and what steps I need to take. Has anyone dealt with this before? Any help would be super appreciated cause I'm starting to stress about messing this up even worse.

Yes, you can definitely file an amended return through TurboTax to add that second W-2! No need to panic. The process for filing an amended return (Form 1040-X) is actually pretty straightforward. First, log into your TurboTax account and look for the "Amend a return" option - it's usually under the Tax Tools section. You'll be able to add your missing W-2 information there. The software will guide you through creating the 1040-X form, which basically shows the IRS what you originally reported and what the correct amounts should be. As for penalties - you generally won't face penalties for filing an amended return as long as you pay any additional taxes owed promptly. The IRS understands that W-2s sometimes arrive late or corrections need to be made. If you end up owing more tax with the added W-2, you might have some interest charges on the unpaid amount, but those are usually minimal if you file your amendment soon.

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Thanks for the info! If I amend through TurboTax, will I need to mail in the amended return or can it be e-filed? And approximately how long does it take for an amended return to be processed?

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You'll need to mail in your amended return. Unfortunately, the IRS doesn't currently allow e-filing for Form 1040-X in most situations, even through TurboTax. The software will prepare all the forms for you, but then you'll need to print and mail them. As for processing time, amended returns typically take about 16 weeks (4 months) for the IRS to process, sometimes longer during busy periods or if there are any issues they need to resolve. You can check the status of your amended return on the IRS website using their "Where's My Amended Return?" tool starting about 3 weeks after you mail it.

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I was in literally the exact same situation last year! After trying to navigate the amendment maze on my own, I ended up using taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it saved me so much headache. The tool analyzed my original return and my new W-2, then showed me exactly what needed to change on my amendment. It was super helpful because it pointed out that I needed to adjust my education credits too since my additional income affected my eligibility - something I wouldn't have caught on my own. The step-by-step guidance made the whole amended return process way less intimidating.

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How does it work with state tax returns? I need to amend both federal and state returns. Does taxr.ai handle both or just federal?

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Sounds interesting but I'm always skeptical about tax tools. How accurate is it? Did you double-check their calculations against what TurboTax would have done?

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It handles both federal and state returns. When I uploaded my documents, it automatically recognized I needed to amend both and walked me through the specific requirements for my state. Each state has different amendment forms and procedures, and it covered all that. The accuracy was spot-on. I actually did compare with what TurboTax calculated and the numbers matched perfectly. The difference was that taxr.ai explained each adjustment in plain English and flagged that education credit issue I mentioned. It's really built specifically for amendments rather than just general tax prep.

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Just wanted to update everyone - I ended up trying taxr.ai for my amendment situation and I'm genuinely impressed. I was skeptical at first (as you could tell from my earlier question), but the tool was incredibly thorough. I had a complicated situation with my late W-2 because it included some relocation benefits I didn't know how to report. The analysis actually found that I'd been overtaxed on part of the relocation package and helped me claim an additional refund of $725. The step-by-step instructions for completing and filing the amendment were super clear, and I could tell the tool was specifically designed for amendment situations rather than just general tax filing. Definitely made the whole process less stressful than I expected!

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If you're planning to call the IRS with questions about your amended return (which I highly recommend), use Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to skip the ridiculous hold times. I wasted 2 hours on hold trying to ask about my amended return status before hanging up in frustration. With Claimyr, I got a callback from the IRS in about 15 minutes! You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c This was super helpful because I had questions about whether I needed to amend just my federal or also my state return, and the IRS agent was able to clarify exactly what I needed to do. Saved me from potentially making another mistake and having to amend yet again.

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Wait, how does this actually work? How can a third-party service get you through to the IRS faster than calling directly?

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Yeah right. Nothing gets you through to the IRS faster. I've tried calling about my amended return from last year multiple times and never got through. This sounds like a scam that just takes your money and gives you the same wait time.

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It uses a system that continually calls the IRS and navigates the phone tree for you until it gets through to an agent. When an agent answers, it calls your phone and connects you immediately. It's basically doing the waiting for you so you don't have to sit on hold forever. The technology is pretty simple but effective - it's just automating the calling and waiting process. It's not "cutting the line" or anything, just handling the hold time so you don't have to. The IRS doesn't know or care that you're using this service since to them it's just a regular call that happened to get through.

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Ok I have to eat my words about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try it for myself since I was desperate to talk to someone about my amended return from last year that's still processing. I've been trying to get through to the IRS for WEEKS with no luck. Used Claimyr yesterday afternoon and got a call back with an IRS agent in 27 minutes. The agent was able to tell me that my amended return was approved but had been sent to another department for additional processing, which explains the delay. She even gave me a direct number to call that department. Would never have gotten this info otherwise since I couldn't even get through to a human. Definitely worth it if you're stuck in amended return limbo like I was.

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Don't forget to check if you need to amend your state tax return too! Many people remember to amend federal but forget that state returns often need to be updated as well. Each state has different forms and procedures for amending.

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Thanks for mentioning this - I totally would have forgotten about the state return part. Do you know if I need to wait for the federal amendment to be processed before filing the state amendment?

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You don't typically need to wait for the federal amendment to be processed before filing your state amendment. In fact, it's usually better to prepare and file them close to the same time. Many states require you to attach a copy of your federal amended return (Form 1040-X) to your state amendment, but they don't require proof that the IRS has processed it. This is because state tax calculations often depend on federal figures, so the state wants to see what changes you made federally.

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Has anyone here used TurboTax to file their amended return? Is it worth paying for or should I just do the paper forms myself? I'm in a similar situation with a late W-2.

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I used TurboTax for my amendment last year and found it worth the money. The software transfers all your info from the original return and helps identify all the forms that need to be updated. Way easier than trying to figure out the paper forms yourself, especially if your situation is even slightly complicated.

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I went through this exact same situation two years ago and totally understand the stress! One thing that really helped me was keeping good records of when I received that late W-2 and any correspondence with my employer about the delay. The IRS is generally understanding about these situations since they know employers sometimes miss deadlines. When you file your amended return, make sure to include a brief explanation of why you're amending (late W-2 received). This helps the IRS processors understand the situation immediately. Also, if your amended return results in additional taxes owed, try to pay them as soon as possible to minimize any interest charges. The good news is that if your late W-2 shows more taxes were withheld than you originally reported, you might actually get a bigger refund! Don't let the stress get to you - amended returns are more common than you think, and the IRS processes thousands of them every day.

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