Submitted by Joel Shabsin, CPA

For many years we’ve all been complaining that amended returns could not be filed electronically with the IRS. And for years the IRS has told us its coming. They recently announced that 1040-X returns for 2019 will be able to be filed electronically beginning on August 17, 2020. Both Forms 1040-X and forms 1040-SR-X will be added to the electronic filing options.

With the current backlog of mailed-in tax returns sitting in the IRS mail rooms, if you have to amend a 2019 return, consider waiting until August 17th to do so and then do it electronically, especially if the client is asking for a refund on the amended return. The IRS claims it is going to get processed faster electronically even waiting until August 17th than if it gets mailed today. Electronic filers will still be able to use the “Where’s my Amended Return” on line tool to check the status of the electronic submission.

The IRS plans to have additional enhancements for amended returns in the future.