# How can I make sure IRS received returns?



## TooMuchCoffee

Last summer, I sent in a bunch of U.S. tax returns to "catch up" on my filing (I am also Canadian, and have lived here since I was a baby. Had never filed U.S. returns before).

I'm now wondering if they ever arrived. I've read about a few people getting "Making work pay" refunds, and I have not heard a thing from the IRS (about refunds or anything else). I believe I would have qualified for the refund, since I sent in returns for 2009 and 2010. 

Does the fact that I didn't get this refund mean that they didn't get my returns? What do you think?

I'm sure there's an easy way to do this. Just call the IRS? I am nervous about doing so. 

I don't actually care about the refund (I think it's strange that I would be eligible, since I have never earned money in the U.S., or paid tax there, or owed any tax there). I just want to know that my returns arrived and that everything is OK.


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## quincy

TooMuchCoffee said:


> Last summer, I sent in a bunch of U.S. tax returns to "catch up" on my filing (I am also Canadian, and have lived here since I was a baby. Had never filed U.S. returns before).
> 
> I'm now wondering if they ever arrived. I've read about a few people getting "Making work pay" refunds, and I have not heard a thing from the IRS (about refunds or anything else). I believe I would have qualified for the refund, since I sent in returns for 2009 and 2010.
> 
> Does the fact that I didn't get this refund mean that they didn't get my returns? What do you think?
> 
> I'm sure there's an easy way to do this. Just call the IRS? I am nervous about doing so.
> 
> I don't actually care about the refund (I think it's strange that I would be eligible, since I have never earned money in the U.S., or paid tax there, or owed any tax there). I just want to know that my returns arrived and that everything is OK.


Hi,
I'm in the same situation as you and just sent mine in in January. I hadn't heard much about this refund until recently. Did you fill out a schedule M to apply for it? I didn't. I did my returns on Turbotax and never saw anything about it. It's been about 10 weeks since mine were received ( I sent them by courier and got confirmation) and I haven't heard anything yet.
Quincy


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## TooMuchCoffee

I had an accountant do the returns, and we never talked about the refund. I looked through my copies, and there doesn't seem to be a schedule M, so I'm guessing I did not apply for it. I'll ask her about it.

I'll also ask her about checking to see if they received my returns, since we're about to start on the next one (and really, if I was going to get anything back I think I would have heard by now. I submitted the returns in August).


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## quincy

TooMuchCoffee said:


> I had an accountant do the returns, and we never talked about the refund. I looked through my copies, and there doesn't seem to be a schedule M, so I'm guessing I did not apply for it. I'll ask her about it.
> 
> I'll also ask her about checking to see if they received my returns, since we're about to start on the next one (and really, if I was going to get anything back I think I would have heard by now. I submitted the returns in August).


I just looked back at my Turbotax program and found schedule M. Somehow the program determined that I had made no income (not correct) and I didn't qualify. So the schedule never printed out when I was done with the return. Maybe it was a turbotax glitch or maybe I answered some question wrong along the way. I don't care. Just want to be left alone! The few I have heard of getting something (two got confusing form letters about penalties for late filing but with nothing owing and one had some tax owing) were within 8-15 weeks after receipt. I'm sure you're fine by now.


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## TooMuchCoffee

Yes. Unless they never received the returns at all, in which case I have to re-send them. I'll ask my accountant about it -- she's got to know if there's a way to check.


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## Bevdeforges

Like most tax credits, the Making Work Pay credit must be filed for on Schedule M. If you research it a bit on the IRS website, you'll also find that it was only applicable for 2009 and 2010 - but there is a note saying that most people in 2010 received their credit based on reductions to the withholding tables rather than having to file for it. This suggests that you needed earned income that was subject to US taxes in order to qualify - but I leave the detail research to you.

Basically, there is no way to find out if the IRS received your tax forms until and unless they contact you - and, if all went well, they probably won't do that.
Cheers,
Bev


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## Peg

You can call them to see if they have processed your returns. I did that for two of the years since I had not heard anything on them. For the other 3 years I either heard that I owed a nominal amount or for 2010 that I got the Making Work Pay credit. I never asked for that credit, just got a letter from the IRS asking how I wanted to receive payment.


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## byline

One way to check is to go to the IRS's "Where's My Refund?" page: Where's My Refund - It's Quick, Easy, and Secure.

Click on No. 3, then enter your Social Security Number, your filing status and your expected refund amount (if you weren't expecting a refund, just enter 1). If your return was received, you'll get a page saying so. For me, it says it's being processed, but I suspect that it's well past that stage, as I filed last August.


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## quincy

byline said:


> One way to check is to go to the IRS's "Where's My Refund?" page: Where's My Refund - It's Quick, Easy, and Secure.
> 
> Click on No. 3, then enter your Social Security Number, your filing status and your expected refund amount (if you weren't expecting a refund, just enter 1). If your return was received, you'll get a page saying so. For me, it says it's being processed, but I suspect that it's well past that stage, as I filed last August.


Thanks for that link. Mine is also received and being processed but it's only been 11 weeks for me.


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## TooMuchCoffee

Hmmm. I tried and it says there is no info on my returns. That doesn't seem very promising.

Thanks, though.


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## TooMuchCoffee

Yay! I called the IRS and they confirmed that they received my returns and that they look "all clear." The woman I spoke with also said a bunch of other stuff that I didn't follow - she mentioned a refund and then said I don't get a refund (wha? I should have paid more attention) .

BUT: I'm going with the all clear. They have the returns, and they're not asking me to do anything else. Now all I had to do is get 2011 stuff organized...

Now


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## byline

TooMuchCoffee said:


> Yay! I called the IRS and they confirmed that they received my returns and that they look "all clear." The woman I spoke with also said a bunch of other stuff that I didn't follow - she mentioned a refund and then said I don't get a refund (wha? I should have paid more attention) .
> 
> BUT: I'm going with the all clear. They have the returns, and they're not asking me to do anything else. Now all I had to do is get 2011 stuff organized...
> 
> Now


Yay! I'm glad they were able to give you that confirmation. That's a relief! My feeling was the same as yours; I was relieved to know that they had the returns. I don't care about much else, as my income is so small that I owe nothing.

Re: the refund, I wonder if they were talking about the "Making Work Pay" credit. I don't qualify, as my Canadian husband claims me as a dependent.


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