Where do I mail my signed Federal 2023 tax return? California resident confused about address
So I'm literally sitting here with my completed and signed 1040 federal tax return and I have no idea where to actually mail it. I've looked at the IRS website, called my accountant (who didn't pick up), and even asked my neighbor who used to work at H&R Block. Everyone seems to give me a different mailing address for California residents. Some say to send it to Fresno, others say that office closed and it should go to Ogden, Utah? And then someone else mentioned a P.O. Box in Austin? I just want to make sure my return gets to the right place and doesn't get lost in the shuffle. This is the first time in years I'm not e-filing (had issues with my identity verification), so I'm back to paper filing like it's 2005 or something. Can anyone help me out with the correct, current mailing address for a California resident sending in a signed 1040 federal tax return? Thanks in advance!
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Sydney Torres
The correct mailing address depends on whether you're enclosing a payment with your return or expecting a refund. For California residents filing a 1040 without a payment: Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service Austin, TX 73301-0002 For California residents filing a 1040 with a payment: Internal Revenue Service P.O. Box 802501 Cincinnati, OH 45280-2501 You're right about the Fresno center - it closed in 2021, which is why you're getting conflicting information. The IRS has been consolidating processing centers. Always check the most current information on IRS.gov as these addresses can change. The instructions that came with your Form 1040 should also list the current addresses.
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Kaitlyn Jenkins
•Wait, I'm confused. I thought all California returns went to Ogden, Utah now since Fresno closed? That's what the guy at the tax prep place told me last month. Are there different addresses for different situations?
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Sydney Torres
•The Ogden, Utah processing center does handle some returns from California, but for individual 1040 returns, the addresses I provided are correct as of the 2023 filing season. Different tax forms go to different processing centers, which is likely where the confusion comes from. For example, business returns or amended returns might go to Ogden. Always check the specific instructions for your tax form and situation on the IRS website for the most up-to-date information.
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Caleb Bell
After getting my return rejected twice due to address mixups, I finally used taxr.ai to figure out where to send my return. I uploaded a pic of my tax form and it analyzed which IRS address I needed to use based on my state and whether I was sending payment. Really helped clear up the confusion since the IRS keeps changing their mailing addresses. Their site https://taxr.ai even showed me what envelope to use and where to put the stamps. Sounds basic but I've had returns sent back for the weirdest reasons!
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Danielle Campbell
•Does it work for business returns too? I have an S-corp and always mix up where to send which forms. The IRS instructions are like reading hieroglyphics sometimes.
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Rhett Bowman
•How accurate is it really? I'm always skeptical of these tax tools since the addresses change every year it seems like. Does it actually have the most current info?
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Caleb Bell
•It works great for business returns too! You just upload your form and it tells you exactly where to send it based on your business type and state. Saved me a ton of headache with my LLC filing. As for accuracy, it's updated with the latest IRS processing center information. That's what impressed me - it knew about all the center closures and consolidations the IRS has done recently. My return arrived at the right place without any issues, which is more than I can say for when I tried to figure it out myself.
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Rhett Bowman
Just wanted to update you all - I was skeptical about taxr.ai but decided to try it anyway since I was totally confused about where to send my California return. It actually worked perfectly! Uploaded my form, told me exactly where to send it (Cincinnati since I was paying), and even reminded me about certified mail tracking. My return was received without any issues - got confirmation last week. Honestly wish I'd known about this tool years ago instead of playing IRS address roulette every tax season.
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Abigail Patel
If you're still waiting for a response from the IRS about your return, I highly recommend Claimyr. I mailed my return 3 months ago to what I thought was the right address, but wasn't sure if it was received. Spent weeks trying to get through to the IRS phone line with no luck. Found https://claimyr.com and they got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes instead of the hours I was waiting before. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - basically they wait on hold for you and call when an agent is ready. Agent confirmed my return was received and processing, huge relief!
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Daniel White
•How does this actually work? I don't understand how they can get through when nobody else can. Is this some kind of special service that has a direct line to the IRS or something?
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Nolan Carter
•Sounds like a complete scam to me. Nobody can "skip the line" with the IRS. They're probably just charging you to call the same number you could call yourself. The IRS doesn't give special access to third parties for regular tax questions.
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Abigail Patel
•It's pretty straightforward - they use an automated system that continuously redials and navigates the IRS phone tree until they get through to an agent. When an agent answers, they call you and connect you directly to that agent. They're just doing the waiting part for you. They don't have any special access or direct line to the IRS - they're just using technology to handle the frustrating part of waiting on hold. It saved me hours of having my phone tied up, and I was able to confirm my return was actually received at the correct address.
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Nolan Carter
I have to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After my skeptical comment, I was still desperate to find out if my return made it to the right place since I sent it to the old Fresno address by mistake (didn't know it had closed). Decided to try Claimyr as a last resort. Their system called me back in about 45 minutes, and I was talking to an actual IRS representative! The agent confirmed my return had been forwarded to the correct processing center and gave me an estimated completion date. Saved me from filing a duplicate return and potentially creating a bigger mess. Sometimes it's good to be wrong!
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Natalia Stone
Don't forget to send your state return to the right place too! California state returns go to: Refund returns: Franchise Tax Board PO Box 942840 Sacramento, CA 94240-0001 Tax due returns: Franchise Tax Board PO Box 942867 Sacramento, CA 94267-0001 Made that mistake last year and my state return was delayed by months because I accidentally sent it to the IRS address. Double check everything before mailing!
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Alfredo Lugo
•Thank you so much for mentioning this! I actually have my state return ready to go as well and didn't even think about verifying that address separately. Was about to stuff both envelopes and send them to the same place. Would've been a huge headache.
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Natalia Stone
•You're welcome! It's an easy mistake to make. Also, if possible, send both returns via certified mail with tracking. It costs a few extra dollars but gives you proof of when you mailed it and when it was delivered. If you're mailing close to a deadline, make sure to go inside the post office and get it hand-stamped. A postmark date is what the IRS and FTB use to determine if you filed on time, not when they actually receive it.
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Tasia Synder
Has anyone here actually received confirmation that their paper return was processed? I mailed mine 4 months ago to the Austin address (I'm in California) and the "Where's My Refund" tool still says "Return Not Processed" when I check. Getting really worried they lost it.
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Selena Bautista
•Paper returns are taking FOREVER this year. I mailed mine in February and it took 16 weeks to show up in the system. The IRS is seriously backlogged with paper returns. If you can e-file next year, definitely do it - electronic returns are processed in weeks instead of months.
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Tyrone Johnson
I feel your pain on this address confusion! I went through the same nightmare last year when I had to paper file. The key thing to remember is that the IRS has been consolidating processing centers, which is why you're getting conflicting info from different sources. For 2023 California returns, Sydney Torres gave you the correct addresses above. Just to reinforce: - NO payment: Austin, TX 73301-0002 - WITH payment: Cincinnati, OH 45280-2501 Pro tip: Use certified mail with return receipt so you have proof it was delivered. The IRS can take 6-8 weeks just to acknowledge they received a paper return, so don't panic if you don't see it in their system right away. Also, double-check that you're looking at the 2023 Form 1040 instructions, not older versions. The IRS updates these addresses periodically, and outdated info floating around online is probably why your neighbor and others are giving you different addresses. Good luck with your filing!
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Zainab Ismail
•This is really helpful, thank you! I'm actually in a similar situation - had to switch to paper filing this year after years of e-filing. One question though - do you know if there's a different address if you're filing an amended return (1040X)? I might need to file one later and want to make sure I don't send it to the wrong place again. The whole processing center consolidation thing has made this so much more confusing than it used to be.
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Ravi Sharma
•Good question about amended returns! Form 1040X has different mailing addresses than regular 1040s. For California residents, amended returns (1040X) should be sent to: Internal Revenue Service Austin, TX 73301-0215 This is the same processing center but a different P.O. Box number specifically for amended returns. Unlike regular returns, amended returns all go to the same address regardless of whether you're sending additional payment or expecting a refund. Just remember that amended returns take even longer to process - typically 16-20 weeks compared to the 6-8 weeks for regular paper returns. And you can't e-file a 1040X for most situations, so you'll be stuck with paper filing for amendments regardless. Hope this helps save you from another mailing address headache!
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