When is the final deadline for filing 2019 tax returns & amendments after Covid extensions?

Thanks for the info! Does this also apply if I owe taxes rather than expecting a refund? I filed my 2019 return on time but I think I made a mistake that might mean I owe more. Would I also have until July 15, 2023 to correct this?

Yes, the extended deadline applies regardless of whether you're due a refund or owe additional tax. If you need to file an amended return that results in additional tax owed, you still have until July 15, 2023 to submit it. However, keep in mind that if you do end up owing additional tax, you'll likely face interest and possibly penalties calculated from the original payment due date, even though you have extra time to file the amendment.

How does the system actually work? Do I need to provide all my personal info? I'm always hesitant with tax tools since I don't want my data floating around.

Did it tell you anything about how the extension impacts the ability to claim additional credits? I found conflicting info on whether I can still claim some education credits I missed on my original 2019 filing.

The system is actually really straightforward - you upload your existing tax documents and it scans them for key information. Their privacy policy is really strict so your data is encrypted and not shared with third parties. It absolutely addresses questions about credits! That was actually my main issue too. It specifically analyzed which credits I was still eligible to claim within the statute of limitations and explained how the COVID extensions affected my ability to claim education credits I had initially missed. It provides a detailed report showing which sections of your return can still be amended.

Wait, how does that even work? The IRS phone system is notorious for being impossible. How could a third-party service possibly get you through?

Sounds like a scam to me. Nobody gets through to the IRS that quickly. I've been trying for months about a different issue and keep getting disconnected.

It works because they've developed a system that navigates the IRS phone trees and waits on hold for you. When an agent finally answers, they connect the call to your phone. It's basically like having someone wait on hold in your place. I was skeptical too at first! But it's not like they're cutting the line or anything illegitimate. They're just handling the frustrating hold time for you. My case was particularly complex because I had foreign income on my 2019 return and needed to confirm how the July 15 deadline applied to my specific situation. Got clear answers in one phone call that would have otherwise taken weeks of attempts.

Do you know if this applies to people who were living abroad in 2019-2020? I was an expat during that time and I know we sometimes get different deadlines, but I'm not sure how the COVID extensions affected that.

For expatriates, the standard rule is that you automatically get an additional 2 months (until June 15) to file. However, during 2020, the COVID extension superseded this since July 15 was later than the expat June 15 date. The three-year statute of limitations would still be calculated from the COVID-extended date (July 15, 2020), making your deadline July 15, 2023 - the same as domestic filers for the 2019 tax year. The only exception might be if you requested an additional extension beyond July 15, 2020, which would have pushed your original filing deadline to October 15, 2020. In that case, your statute of limitations would run three years from when you actually filed.

If you're owed a refund, unfortunately after July 15, 2023, you've missed the window to claim it for 2019. The three-year statute of limitations has expired. However, if you OWE taxes, the IRS still wants their money! You should file as soon as possible to minimize the penalties and interest that have been accumulating. The IRS can technically collect unpaid taxes for up to 10 years, so you're nowhere near that deadline. Filing now will stop additional failure-to-file penalties from growing.