Filing 2019 Tax Returns
All individual taxpayers and some business taxpayers must file their tax returns and pay any tax due by this Wednesday, if you didn’t already file earlier this year.
Read our Understanding upcoming filing and payment due dates for individual taxpayers for filing, payment and extension information or IRS gives tips on filing, paying electronically and checking refunds online; 2019 tax returns and payments due July 15. Also, be aware that IRS also offers additional retail partners that accept cash payments for federal taxes.
Filing electronically and choosing direct deposit remains the fastest and safest way to file an accurate income tax return and receive a refund.
Special Alert for 2019 Filers
The Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers, who were required to file a 2019 tax return but used the Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info Here tool instead to register for an Economic Impact Payment (which created a tax return), that they must pay any balance due for tax year 2019, by July 15, to avoid a late-payment penalty. That tool is intended for getting Economic Impact Payments to taxpayers who did not normally have to file a tax return. Thus, taxpayers may need to file a paper 2019 Form 1040 or 1040-SR tax return, by July 15 to correctly reflect income, deductions, and credits, or to calculate any balance due. When filing, taxpayers should write “Amended EIP Return” at the top.
If you forget to notate the form with the above phrase, don’t worry, all paper returns, including those designated as “Amended EIP Returns”, will be processed on a first-in-first-out basis. By this fall you will be able to check on the status of your return using the Where’s My Amended Return? tool. Please note, that you will not be able to use the “Where’s My Refund?” tool, since a return filed now is not considered an original return.
Visit IRS’s Amended EIP Return page for more information.
Already Filed a 2019 Tax Return?
If you already filed a 2019 tax return, do not file again. The IRS is processing electronic and paper tax returns and issuing refunds, although at a slower pace due to COVID-19 delays. Taxpayers who mailed a tax return will experience a longer wait time. There is no need to mail a second tax return or call.
Where’s My Refund? is the most convenient way to check the status of a refund. It has a tracker that displays progress through three phases: (1) Return Received; (2) Refund Approved; and (3) Refund Sent.
Re-start Installment Agreement and Other Payments
Taxpayers who suspended any existing payments between March 25 to July 15, need to take action and re-start those payments. This includes:
- Installment agreement payments
- Offer in Compromise agreement payments, and
- Private Collection Agency payments
If you can’t pay any of these, follow the instructions and contact IRS as described, right away. Taxpayers who are experiencing a hardship or who have questions about their payments should call the customer service number provided on their notice, but be mindful that wait times could be long. Phone lines remain extremely busy as the IRS resumes operations.
Taxpayer Advocate Service Help
Currently, the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) is open to virtually serve taxpayers who find themselves in hardship situations or dealing with IRS tax problems they’ve been unable to resolve directly with the IRS, with the exception of assistance with Economic Impact Payments. For questions about Economic Impact Payments, please go to the IRS Coronavirus Relief site. TAS, unfortunately, is not able to respond to these general inquiries.
Visit our Contact Us page to see who qualifies for TAS assistance.
Follow the Taxpayer Advocate Service across social media: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.