Where should I mail my federal tax return with foreign address listed?

The address where you mail your return depends on what's on your Form 1040, not where you physically are when mailing it. Since you listed a foreign address on your Form 1040, you should mail your return to the IRS international address. For paper returns with foreign addresses, you would typically mail to: Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service Center Austin, TX 73301-0215 USA Even though you're physically in Colorado, the IRS processes returns based on the address you declared on your tax forms. This ensures your return gets routed to the correct processing center that handles international/dual status returns.

I went through this exact same situation last year when I moved between countries mid-year. The conflicting address info was driving me crazy until I found https://taxr.ai which literally saved me from sending my return to the wrong place. They analyzed my return and clarified that when you list a foreign address on your Form 1040, you MUST send it to the international processing center regardless of where you physically are. Their document analysis even caught that I had inconsistent addresses on different forms which would have delayed my refund. The nice thing was they explained exactly why the IRS routes returns this way - it's about processing centers being specialized for different return types, not about where you drop it in the mail.

I was skeptical about taxr.ai but decided to try it since my situation was similar (moving between states with temporary addresses). I uploaded my documents yesterday and got detailed guidance within hours. The system flagged that I had inconsistent addresses on my W-2 vs my 1040, and explained how that would affect where I need to mail everything. They even provided the exact mailing address for my situation and explained why certain forms needed to go to specific processing centers. The document review caught several things I would have missed that could have delayed my refund by months. Definitely worth checking out if you're confused about tax filing addresses or have dual status issues.

After spending literal DAYS trying to get through to the IRS to ask about my dual status return mailing address, I found https://claimyr.com and was connected to an IRS agent in under 45 minutes! You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The agent confirmed that for dual status returns with foreign addresses listed on Form 1040, you need to mail to the Austin, TX address even if you're physically present in the US. They explained that dual status returns get special processing, and the address on your form determines where it goes, not your physical location when filing. What's great is that I got an official answer directly from the IRS instead of guessing or getting conflicting advice online.

So I just tried Claimyr after being super skeptical about it. I honestly thought it was some kind of scam because how could anyone get through to the IRS faster than just calling directly? But it actually worked! I got a call back in about an hour with an IRS agent already on the line. The agent confirmed exactly what I needed to know about my dual status return and foreign address situation. They told me that since I listed a foreign address on my 1040 but am physically in the US, I still need to use the international mailing address (Austin, TX center). The agent also mentioned that dual status returns take longer to process regardless of which address you use, so I should expect to wait 8-12 weeks minimum. That was helpful info I wouldn't have known otherwise.

One thing nobody's mentioned - make sure you use USPS certified mail with return receipt when sending your return! I learned this the hard way last year. The IRS claimed they never received my paper return, but luckily I had proof of delivery. This is especially important with international/dual status returns since they often get routed through multiple departments. You want that paper trail to prove exactly when you submitted everything.

I think everyone is missing an important point. If you paid through pay1040 and indicated filing within the USA, you should check if that creates inconsistency with using a foreign address on your actual return.

Make sure you mail it early! International/dual status returns take WAY longer to process. I sent mine last year on April 10 and didn't get my refund until August. The earlier you send it, the better.

I had a very similar situation last year as a dual status resident with temporary housing arrangements. After going through this confusion myself, I can confirm that you should mail your return to the Austin, TX international address since you listed a foreign address on your Form 1040. The key thing to understand is that the IRS routes returns based on what's written on the forms themselves, not your physical location when mailing. Since your 1040 shows a foreign address, the system expects it to go through international processing channels. A few additional tips from my experience: - Use certified mail with tracking as others mentioned - Include a cover letter explaining your situation if you want, but it's not required - Don't worry about the pay1040 discrepancy - the payment and return processing are handled separately - Expect 10-16 weeks for processing (mine took 14 weeks) The most important thing is to be consistent with what you put on your actual tax forms. Since you already listed the foreign address on your 1040, stick with the international mailing address. Good luck!