Amended Tax Return | Form 1040-X

Form 1040-X, Amended US Individual Tax Return comes in handy when you forgot to claim a deduction or credit on your tax return or there is other errors on your original tax return. 

By amending a tax return, you will correct out these mistakes and if you were supposed to get a refund, you will get one. However, the same as you can get a refund from the IRS, you might owe taxes. It’s best to file your amended tax return with the most correct information to your knowledge and prevent any wrong outcomes.

Why file an amended tax return? Form 1040-X

The most common reason why taxpayers amend their original tax returns is forgetting to claim tax deductions or credits that they were eligible to claim but didn’t. It could be either lack of knowledge that they are eligible for these tax credits or anything else – it doesn’t matter. As long as there is still time for you to amend a return, you can file it.

Allowed time window for amending a tax return

The allowed time window for amending a tax return is three years from the date the original return was filed. If you want to amend a tax return in 2021, you are most likely to go as far back as the 2017 tax returns which you filed in 2018. 

Amending a tax return with Form 1040-X

While it sounds good and all, amending a tax return can take more time than you anticipate. This is due to the way the IRS accepts amended tax returns. The Internal Revenue Service only accepts mailed-in amended tax returns. There is no way to amend a tax return electronically as Form 1040-X cannot be filed electronically. That said, you must prepare a paper Form 1040-X and mail it to the Internal Revenue Service.

Form 1040-X PDF

Form 1040-X online fillable PDF is below which you can fill out on your computer, then save it as a PDF file or print out a paper copy right away. This will enable you to save time and make your amended tax return a lot less prone to errors as it will be a lot easier to read.

/form 1040x pdf

Form 1040-X mailing address

After filling out Form 1040-X and attaching the tax forms you need to mail with, mail it to the below mailing addresses according to your state of residence and whether you’re mailing with payment or not.

Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, or Texas	Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service Austin, TX 73301-0052
Alaska, California, or Hawaii	Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service Ogden, UT 84201-0052
Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, or Wyoming	Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service Ogden, UT 84201-0052
Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin	Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service Kansas City, MO 64999-0052

Alaska, California, and Hawaii residents need to mail Form 1040-X to the following mail address before June 19, 2021. After June 19, 2021, they can send their amended returns to the mailing address in the table above.

Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service
Fresno, CA 93888-0422

Note: Use USPS to mail not just your amended tax return but anything related to the IRS as private delivery services cannot deliver to P.O. boxes. Having said that, do not use Amazon, UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc. to mail taxes.