Where's My Amended Return? Status Meanings and Timeline
Check an amended return with the IRS Where's My Amended Return? tool on irs.gov, entering your Social Security number, date of birth and ZIP code. The IRS says the status is available 3 weeks after you submit Form 1040-X, to allow 8 to 12 weeks to process it, and that in some cases it may take up to 16 weeks. The tool shows one of three statuses: Received, Adjusted or Completed.
Open the IRS Where's My Amended Return? tool (irs.gov)
Maintained by Archie Chang · Sources checked against IRS.gov text on November 7, 2026 · Methodology & sources
At a glance: the time frames and the phone number
| What | Figure | IRS document and date |
|---|---|---|
| Status available after you submit Form 1040-X | 3 weeks | IRS, Where's My Amended Return? (page last reviewed October 16, 2026) |
| Tax years you can check | this tax year and 3 prior years | IRS, Where's My Amended Return? (page last reviewed October 16, 2026) |
| Processing time: “Please allow” | 8 to 12 weeks | IRS, Where's My Amended Return? (page last reviewed October 16, 2026) |
| Processing time: “In some cases, it may take” | up to 16 weeks | IRS, Where's My Amended Return? (page last reviewed October 16, 2026) |
| Time to show up in the IRS system (FAQ) | up to 3 weeks | IRS, Amended return frequently asked questions (page last reviewed September 2, 2026) |
| Toll-free status line | 866-464-2050 | IRS, Amended return frequently asked questions (page last reviewed September 2, 2026) |
How to check: what you enter and where
The IRS tool is on IRS.gov: Where's My Amended Return?. The IRS page about it says:
“Your amended return status is available 3 weeks after you submit Form 1040-X.
You can check your amended return status for this tax year and 3 prior years.”
To check without signing in, the IRS page says you need:
“You’ll need this information:
Social Security number
Date of birth
ZIP code”
The Instructions for Form 1040-X word the same list with a TIN, which for most taxpayers is the SSN:
“You will need to provide the following information. […] Your TIN (for most taxpayers, that is their SSN). […] Your date of birth. […] Your ZIP code or postal code.”
The IRS page also offers a second way in:
“Sign in to your Individual Account to access your:
Amended return status
Refund status
Tax records”
What Received, Adjusted and Completed mean
| Status | IRS description | IRS source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Received | Your amended return was received and is being processed. | IRS, Amended return frequently asked questions (page last reviewed September 2, 2026) |
| Adjusted | An adjustment was made to your account. The adjustment will result in a refund, balance due or in no tax change. | IRS, Amended return frequently asked questions (page last reviewed September 2, 2026) |
| Completed | Your amended return has been processed. You will receive all the information connected to its processing by mail. | IRS, Amended return frequently asked questions (page last reviewed September 2, 2026) |
How long it takes
On how long it takes, the IRS page says:
“Please allow 8 to 12 weeks to process your amended return. In some cases, it may take up to 16 weeks.”
The Instructions for Form 1040-X give the same figures and say how long it can take for the return to appear:
“You should generally allow 8 to 12 weeks for Form 1040-X to be processed. However, in some cases, processing could take up to 16 weeks.”
“It can take up to 3 weeks from the date you mail it to show up in our system.”
The amended return FAQ gives a similar figure for when a return shows up, and a note on e-filing:
“You can check the status of your amended return with the Where's My Amended Return? tool. It may take up to 3 weeks for your amended return to show in our system.”
“Possibly by one or two weeks, because it eliminates mailing time. You should generally allow 8 to 12 weeks for your Form 1040-X to be processed. However, in some cases, processing could take up to 16 weeks.”
The IRS also posts a processing status page that lists, by month, the paper returns it is working. It is not copied here because the month changes often:
“Find our current processing status and what to expect for the tax form types listed below.”
Open the IRS processing status page.
If it has been more than 12 weeks: the reasons the IRS lists
“Some amended returns take longer than 12 weeks.
Further review may be needed if the return has:
Errors
Incomplete information
A missing signature
Form 8379, Injured Spouse Allocation
Identity theft or fraud suspected”
“An amended return may take longer to process if we need to:
Route it to a specialized area
Obtain clearance from the bankruptcy unit at the IRS
Get a review and approval by a revenue officer
Review an appeal or requested reconsideration of an IRS decision”
“If we need more information to process your amended return, we’ll contact you.”
When to call the IRS, and the number
The IRS amended return FAQ gives a toll-free number for status checks: 866-464-2050.
“The Where's My Amended Return? (WMAR) online tool or the toll-free telephone number 866-464-2050 can be used for status updates three weeks after filing the return. Both tools are available in English and Spanish and have the most up-to-date information available.”
“The Where's My Amended Return? online tool or the toll-free telephone number 866-464-2050 can be used to check the status of your return and confirm receipt.”
“Where's My Amended Return? or the toll-free telephone number 866-464-2050 can get you the status of your amended returns for the current tax year and up to three prior tax years.”
Neither the Where's My Amended Return? page (page last reviewed October 16, 2026) nor the Amended return frequently asked questions page (page last reviewed September 2, 2026) gives call hours or a number of weeks after which to call about a delay, so this page does not either.
Returns the tool can’t show
The Where’s My Amended Return? page lists these:
“You can’t check the status of:
Business returns
Carryback applications and claims
Injured spouse claims
Form 1040 marked as an amended or corrected (instead of Form 1040-X)
Returns processed by Examination, Bankruptcy or other special units”
The amended return FAQ gives a longer list for the tool, including an amended return with a foreign address:
“Where's My Amended Return? cannot give you the status of the following returns or claims:
Carryback applications and claims
Injured spouse claims
A Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, marked as an amended or corrected return
An amended return with a foreign address
An amended business tax return
An amended return processed by a specialized unit—such as our Examination or Bankruptcy Department”
If your return is not on either list and has not appeared, the IRS says it may take up to 3 weeks for an amended return to show in its system (quoted above).
Refund or balance due: what the IRS says about each
An Adjusted status can end in a refund, a balance due or no change (quoted above). For a refund, the IRS file-an-amended-return page says:
“If you amend a return for tax years 2021 and later, you can request your refund by direct deposit. Enter your bank account information on the electronically filed Form 1040-X or corrected Form 1040-SS/PR. If you submitted a paper version of Form 1040-X, you'll receive a paper check.”
If you owe, that page says:
“If you owe additional tax, file your amended return, and pay the tax by the April due date to avoid penalties and interest. Your return will replace your original return. If you file after the April due date, don't include any interest or penalties on your amended return. We'll make any needed adjustments automatically.”
The Instructions for Form 1040-X add a late-payment rule for tax due on the form:
“If you don’t pay the additional tax due on Form 1040-X within 21 calendar days from the date of notice and demand for payment (10 business days from that date if the amount of tax is $100,000 or more), the penalty is usually 1/2 of 1% of the unpaid amount for each month or part of a month the tax isn’t paid.”
These IRS documents give one processing time for an amended return and do not give a separate time for a refund or for a balance due.
For a refund on an original return, see the tax refund schedule.
This page and the amended return how-to page
This page is for checking an amended return you have already sent. For how to file an amended return (Form 1040-X, the deadline rule, e-file or paper), see Amended Tax Return: Form 1040-X, Deadline and Status. For a copy of a return you filed, see how to get an IRS tax transcript.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I check the status of my amended return?
The Where's My Amended Return? page (page last reviewed October 16, 2026) has the Where's My Amended Return? tool on IRS.gov. It says the status is available 3 weeks after you submit Form 1040-X and that you can check this tax year and 3 prior years. It also says you can sign in to your Individual Account to see your amended return status. The Amended return frequently asked questions page (page last reviewed September 2, 2026) adds that the tool or the toll-free number 866-464-2050 can be used to check the status of your return and confirm receipt.
How long does an amended return take?
The Where's My Amended Return? page (page last reviewed October 16, 2026) says to allow 8 to 12 weeks to process an amended return and that in some cases it may take up to 16 weeks. The Instructions for Form 1040-X (Rev. December 2025) gives the same figures. The Amended return frequently asked questions page (page last reviewed September 2, 2026) says an electronically filed return may be processed faster by one or two weeks because it eliminates mailing time.
What do Received, Adjusted and Completed mean?
The Amended return frequently asked questions page (page last reviewed September 2, 2026) says Received means your amended return was received and is being processed. Adjusted means an adjustment was made to your account, and the adjustment will result in a refund, balance due or in no tax change. Completed means your amended return has been processed and you will receive all the information connected to its processing by mail.
What information do I need to check my amended return?
The Where's My Amended Return? page (page last reviewed October 16, 2026) lists your Social Security number, date of birth and ZIP code. The Instructions for Form 1040-X (Rev. December 2025) lists your TIN (for most taxpayers, that is their SSN), your date of birth and your ZIP code or postal code.
Can I call the IRS about my amended return, and what is the number?
The Amended return frequently asked questions page (page last reviewed September 2, 2026) says the toll-free telephone number 866-464-2050 can be used for status updates three weeks after filing the return, and that the online tool and the phone line are available in English and Spanish. Neither the Where's My Amended Return? page (page last reviewed October 16, 2026) nor the Amended return frequently asked questions page (page last reviewed September 2, 2026) gives call hours or a number of weeks after which to call about a delay, so this page does not either.
Why can't I find my amended return in the tool?
The Amended return frequently asked questions page (page last reviewed September 2, 2026) says it may take up to 3 weeks for an amended return to show in the IRS system. The Where's My Amended Return? page (page last reviewed October 16, 2026) lists returns you can't check: business returns, carryback applications and claims, injured spouse claims, a Form 1040 marked as an amended or corrected return instead of Form 1040-X, and returns processed by Examination, Bankruptcy or other special units. The FAQ page also lists an amended return with a foreign address.
Why is my amended return taking longer than 12 weeks?
The Where's My Amended Return? page (page last reviewed October 16, 2026) says some amended returns take longer than 12 weeks and that further review may be needed if the return has errors, incomplete information, a missing signature, a Form 8379 (Injured Spouse Allocation) or suspected identity theft or fraud. It adds that the IRS will contact you if it needs more information to process your amended return.
Will an amended return bring a refund or a bill, and when?
The Amended return frequently asked questions page (page last reviewed September 2, 2026) says an Adjusted status will result in a refund, balance due or in no tax change. The File an amended return page (page last reviewed November 2, 2026) says a refund on an amended return for tax years 2021 and later can be requested by direct deposit, and that a paper Form 1040-X gets a paper check. These IRS documents give one processing time for an amended return and do not give a separate time for a refund or for a balance due.
Related pages
Sources (checked November 7, 2026): Where's My Amended Return? (page last reviewed October 16, 2026) · Amended return frequently asked questions (page last reviewed September 2, 2026) · File an amended return (page last reviewed November 2, 2026) · Processing status for tax forms (page last reviewed November 6, 2026) · Instructions for Form 1040-X (Rev. December 2025)