sending IRS a paper return- attachments?

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Gardener
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sending IRS a paper return- attachments?

Post by Gardener »

I completed my tax return by hand this year for the first time. I printed out the fillable forms on the IRS website and filled them in by pen.

I looked through the pub 17 and found where to send the paper returns, but did not find in the pub 17 as to what attachments, receipts, etc, needed to accompany the return.

Do I just send in the signed 1040 and any other IRS forms that go along with the 1040? Do they need copy b of the w-2's? copies of 1099-G, 1099-R, etc?

What other forms is the IRS looking for?

Thanks for any guidance!
livesoft
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Re: sending IRS a paper return- attachments?

Post by livesoft »

Instead of Pub 17, did you look at the instructions for Form 1040 (if that is the form you used)?
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sscritic
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Re: sending IRS a paper return- attachments?

Post by sscritic »

See "assemble your return" in the 1040 instructions.
Sidney
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Re: sending IRS a paper return- attachments?

Post by Sidney »

Isn't it printed in the left margin of p1 of the 1040?

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Toons
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Re: sending IRS a paper return- attachments?

Post by Toons »

Look on page 78 under "Assemble Your Return "of the 1040 pdf attached instructions in link below. :happy



http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040.pdf
"One does not accumulate but eliminate. It is not daily increase but daily decrease. The height of cultivation always runs to simplicity" –Bruce Lee
sscritic
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Re: sending IRS a paper return- attachments?

Post by sscritic »

Toons wrote:Look on page 78 under "Assemble Your Return "of the 1040 pdf attached instructions in link below. :happy

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040.pdf
I am glad to see someone is taking over the job of looking things up for other people. Thanks, Toons.
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Don Christy
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Re: sending IRS a paper return- attachments?

Post by Don Christy »

sscritic wrote:See "assemble your return" in the 1040 instructions.
Despite your professed retirement, you can't help but be helpful!

Cheers!
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Jack
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Re: sending IRS a paper return- attachments?

Post by Jack »

Yet, if you e-file, you don't have to send a W-2. Weird.
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tetractys
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Re: sending IRS a paper return- attachments?

Post by tetractys »

E-filing is a whole different pathway and does not apply in any way to mailed in forms, so no, not weird at all. To answer the OP, yes, follow the directions. -- Tet
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Toons
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Re: sending IRS a paper return- attachments?

Post by Toons »

sscritic wrote:
Toons wrote:Look on page 78 under "Assemble Your Return "of the 1040 pdf attached instructions in link below. :happy

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040.pdf
I am glad to see someone is taking over the job of looking things up for other people. Thanks, Toons.

Glad to help :happy
"One does not accumulate but eliminate. It is not daily increase but daily decrease. The height of cultivation always runs to simplicity" –Bruce Lee
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Kenkat
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Re: sending IRS a paper return- attachments?

Post by Kenkat »

What manner of witchcraft is this "paper" ye speak of?
trudy
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Re: sending IRS a paper return- attachments?

Post by trudy »

Glad to see I'm not the only person who likes hand crafting returns. I, paper, ink, and WhiteOut.
gkaplan
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Re: sending IRS a paper return- attachments?

Post by gkaplan »

kenschmidt wrote:What manner of witchcraft is this "paper" ye speak of?
The witchcraft I have used for the last two years.
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rkhusky
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Re: sending IRS a paper return- attachments?

Post by rkhusky »

I guess I'm a bit frugal, but I ask the IRS to mail me the forms so I don't have to waste my own paper and printer ink. :happy
trudy
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Re: sending IRS a paper return- attachments?

Post by trudy »

rkhusky wrote:I guess I'm a bit frugal, but I ask the IRS to mail me the forms so I don't have to waste my own paper and printer ink. :happy
I print out two pages for a 1040, three pages total for Sched A and Sched B together, and one or two pages for an 8608. What is that, twenty cents? It's not like he has to print out the instructions. And taxpayers fund the IRS, which will be sending you many more pages than that since the forms are a subset.
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webslinger
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Re: sending IRS a paper return- attachments?

Post by webslinger »

We had always filed paper returns. When tax software first became available, we filed paper returns. When electronic filing became available, we still used tax software, printed our our returns, attached the requisite documents and mailed them in.
Then one year, things changed. Our state mailed back our return (several months) later stating that the W2s were not attached and that schedule D was not submitted. I had a habit of photocopying the entire completed return alas submitted. So my photocopies showed each individual stapled W2 as per the original. Clearly, the attachments and form were "lost" at the state income tax office during scanning. Fortunately, we just made a photocopy of our original photocopy and resubmitted. Luckily there was a minor penalty assessed by the state and a minor inconvenience for us in additional papers for long term record keeping.
Since that incident, we became converts to electronic filing. You get confirmation within 24 to 48 hours that your return was accepted. Taxes, if owed, can be scheduled for payment on a specific date and refunds, if due, come within several weeks directly to ones account. It has simplified our life.
Webslinger
Jack
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Re: sending IRS a paper return- attachments?

Post by Jack »

tetractys wrote:E-filing is a whole different pathway and does not apply in any way to mailed in forms, so no, not weird at all.
I'm not sure that explains the difference. When you send in a paper return, the first thing that happens is that either manual data entry or optical readers convert your paper return to an e-return in their computers. So why do they need a copy of the W-2 only on the paper return? The IRS already has a copy of the W-2 in their computers regardless if you paper file or e-file.
billern
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Re: sending IRS a paper return- attachments?

Post by billern »

Jack wrote:
tetractys wrote:E-filing is a whole different pathway and does not apply in any way to mailed in forms, so no, not weird at all.
I'm not sure that explains the difference. When you send in a paper return, the first thing that happens is that either manual data entry or optical readers convert your paper return to an e-return in their computers. So why do they need a copy of the W-2 only on the paper return? The IRS already has a copy of the W-2 in their computers regardless if you paper file or e-file.
The W-2s sent by employers don't always get processed before tax returns are filed so the IRS often only knows what you send with your return. When you e-file your return, you are required to input a bunch of information the IRS wants for their matching/fraud detection such as the company's EIN. That substitutes for the paper W-2 you would include in a paper-filed return.
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Gardener
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Re: sending IRS a paper return- attachments?

Post by Gardener »

Of course- the 1040 instructions :oops:

One other minor concern. It seems some on here have experienced issues (in the form of lost paperwork) when sending in a paper return(?) Nevertheless, I think I'll still go ahead and send the paper return and be careful to give them everything that they request.

If they need another copy of this or that, I'll have it and I can just send it again. Will the IRS penalize me for this?

Thanks for all of your replies and the helpful links.
jebmke
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Re: sending IRS a paper return- attachments?

Post by jebmke »

Gardener wrote:Of course- the 1040 instructions :oops:

One other minor concern. It seems some on here have experienced issues (in the form of lost paperwork) when sending in a paper return(?) Nevertheless, I think I'll still go ahead and send the paper return and be careful to give them everything that they request.

If they need another copy of this or that, I'll have it and I can just send it again. Will the IRS penalize me for this?

Thanks for all of your replies and the helpful links.
Just make sure you get POD on everything you send to the IRS. I filed a paper return in 2009 with some complicated documentation. I knew it would get pulled for a desk audit. In the process, the file was transferred from Kansas City to Atlanta and lost twice. I finally won the audit issue but my refund was paid in the summer of 2012. I have an entire notebook of letters and responses (with PODs stapled) so I have a complete trail of every step. Since the item in question wasn't closed until 2012 I guess my 2009 return is still technically open for audit. I'm not sure when the 3 year rule starts.
Don't trust me, look it up. https://www.irs.gov/forms-instructions-and-publications
rkhusky
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Re: sending IRS a paper return- attachments?

Post by rkhusky »

trudy wrote:
rkhusky wrote:I guess I'm a bit frugal, but I ask the IRS to mail me the forms so I don't have to waste my own paper and printer ink. :happy
I print out two pages for a 1040, three pages total for Sched A and Sched B together, and one or two pages for an 8608. What is that, twenty cents? It's not like he has to print out the instructions. And taxpayers fund the IRS, which will be sending you many more pages than that since the forms are a subset.
Really? You don't like to curl up in bed on a cold winter night with a copy of the 1040 instructions?
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