E Filing Prior Year Tax Returns

If you have to file a prior year return forms are listed below by tax year please do so and mail it in the return s but do not expect fast processing of the submitted forms.

E filing prior year tax returns.

If a taxpayer misses their filing date or is unable to pay the taxes they owe at the time which they are due they should still file and or pay even if they are several years late. The irs allows electronic filing of tax returns for the current tax year and the two previous tax years. Returns submitted during this shut down period will be stored on our secure servers and transmitted to the irs once they re ready to process them. However you can file prior year returns in either of these two ways.

It takes a few weeks for your returns to be processed. If you want to file those prior year returns you can t do it using h r block online. Once you finish preparing your prior year returns mail them to the irs. From there you ll enter the income and expense information for the year you are filing.

As a new tax form type is added to the mef platform tax returns will be accepted for the current tax year only. In january 2015 1040 mef accepted tax years 2014 2013 and 2012. Prior year returns mef allows filing of prior year 1040 returns. Filing prior year tax returns for most individuals filing an annual tax return is a requirement.

As of april 2020 the irs has stopped processing tax returns submitted or mailed in on paper tax forms including all prior year tax returns due to the covid 19 crisis. More help with filing previous years taxes. Get our online tax forms and instructions to file your past due return or order them by calling 1 800 tax form 1 800 829 3676 or 1 800 829 4059 for tty tdd. Select the year you wish to create and click start a new tax return.

File your taxes online using freetaxusa s prior year tax software. To access prior year updates from the main menu of the prior year program select updates download install updates. Before e filing any prior year returns taxslayer pro recommends that you download and install any available federal and state updates and apply them to the prior year return by entering and exiting the return to be e filed. If you need information from a prior year tax return use get transcript to request a return or account transcript.

The irs shuts down its mef system for maintenance each year from late november to the end of january specific dates vary each year. Then click on the prior years tab in the middle of the my account page. Use a prior year version of h r block software. As subsequent tax years are added to the system mef will accept the current tax year and two prior tax years.

The irs posts the status of the modernized e file mef system on the mef status page. Simply log into your account or create a new account to begin. You can prepare and mail 2012 2017 tax returns. Prior year returns can only be filed electronically by registered tax preparers and only when the modernized e file system is available.