With income tax returns due in less than a month, many of you are probably planning on working on your tax returns this weekend. While I realize that the majority of you (80% according to our recent poll) are planning on e-filing*, there are still a number of people out there who file paper returns.
If you’re amongst the paper filers, here’s a friendly reminder:
Don’t forget to sign you tax return!
According to IRS guidance, your return will not be considered valid unless you (and your spouse, if applicable) sign it. Note that this is true even if someone else prepares your return.
What if you forget to sign your return?
If you submitted your return without signing it, all is not lost. In all likelihood, the IRS will simply send you a letter requesting your signature. And once they receive your signature, they’ll go ahead and process your return. Thus, if you think (or know) that you submitted your return without signing it, you should probably just sit tight and wait to hear from the IRS.
*Note: If you are e-filing, you will have the option of signing your return electronically using a PIN code. If you choose not to do this, then you will have to complete and sign IRS Form 8453.
HEY I CHECK THIS SITE EVERY YEAR AND FIND IT HELPFUL.. I MAILED MY RETURN WITHOUT MY SIG FEB.27TH I COULD SEE IT BEING PROCESSED APRIL 7TH .. THEN EVERYTHING WENT AWAY.. CALLED AND SHE TOLD ME I FORGOT TO SIGN IT… THEN ASKED IF I WAS NEAR A FAX LINE AND TO FAX THE 1ST 2 PAGES OF THE RETUN AND DATE IT .. WHILE SHE HELD THE LINE.. I DID IT. AND SHE RELEASED MY FUNDS TODAY SHE SAID IT SHOULD TAKE 30 DAY (PAPER CHECK) BUT I DID DIRECT DEPOSIT SO I HAVE TO CHECK WMR TOMORROW.. GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!!! HOPEFULLY THIS GIVES YOU ALL HOPE 🙂
I tried to e-file yep was rejected, no signature!! It took 11 days to receive the letter so I could sign, I then spoke to an I.R.S. agent he said count 6 more weeks & that’s because they had not even received it back!! You know I’m struggling who isn’t? But my job I go in at 5a.m.-1p.m. do they know how hard it is to find a ride at 4:30 a.m.?? Please its my money!! Let the shoe be on the other foot see what happens!! I like their changes but at least let’s get this corrected!! Its our $ why do we have to wait??? I’m saying NOTHING IS FAIR!!
im in this boat right now. forgot to sign a spot on my tax returns that i paper files on april 14th lol, i got them back in the mail with a letter requesting me to sign them and return them which i did. here is my question, there was some red markings on my return indicating that they had already been worked on so i’m wondering if ill get them back relatively quickly now since the grunt work regarding them is finished and it’s pretty much just a matter of releasing the funds or am i wishful thinking and wont see that cash till june?
IRS these days encourage to e-file. The question of signature should not arise then. The last two or three years I have e-filed. By the way, with e-file and direct deposit you can get refund in about 10 days. That’s how long it took in my case.
It’s surprisingly easy to omit the signature on the manual submission, I think we were guilty of that years ago. The IRS don’t seem to mind when there is an error, especially when you are expecting a return. They are happy to keep your money for a little while longer.
I did that one year. It took a long time to get the forms submitted and my return but that was all that happened. I didn’t get fined or anything.