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The Post Office lost my Federal Tax Return!


funaladanaly

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funaladanaly

On April 7, I was a good citizen and I mailed off my tax returns more than a week early. Since it was such an important document, I used certified mail, and got a tracking number (my saving grace here).

Now my post office has this thing called the Automated Postal Center. When the line is really long, you can prepare your own certified mail. I've used it many times before, and went ahead and used it again here. I paid for the postage and the certification with the credit card, and I got a receipt with the tracking number and a certified sticker to put on the envelope.

This is the part I don't quite remember. I recall that one of the employees at the post office offered to take my mail back (I don't remember if it was that day or a different day). I know he's an employee because I go to the post office on a daily basis, and he's helped me behind the counter before. So, I hand him the mail. Either that or I put it in the mail box right beside the APC.

Two weeks later, my tax return is coming up as "the post office has received notification of mailing." It never entered the mailing stream. I have called the post office before now, and one woman said it had entered the mailing stream and was on its way to Georgia. However, when it still didn't arrive, I called back. This time they documented my concern and contacted my local post office.

So the local post office calls, and I give them the tracking number, and he suggests that I didn't put it in the mailbox!!! He said that if I had, it would have gotten there. I was like, I did put it in. He said, then it would have been logged in. Well duh, obviously its been misplaced somehow.

He said that tomorrow I can go and get a receipt of mailing. I contacted the IRS, and the guy was definitely sympathetic. He said that if I got a late charge, to ask for an abatement and send a copy of the receipt.

I'm going to refile. I am giving them my copy of the W-2 (I made myself another copy), another original return, and a letter explaining the situation along with the receipts. Hopefully, fingers crossed, I'll get my return and rebate without any problems, and they will not charge me a late penalty.

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I hope it all gets sorted.

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The Post Office is what Satan does in his spare time.

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The last few years, I have had help from a group that helps low income people. The point is, my return has been filed by computer. I don't even get the federal form. Have you thought of trying to file by computer?? From what I hear, the forms are available online.(I think)

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The last few years, I have had help from a group that helps low income people. The point is, my return has been filed by computer. I don't even get the federal form. Have you thought of trying to file by computer?? From what I hear, the forms are available online.(I think)

I did that for the last two years. This year, I found that low income can use one of the tax programs and file for free. It was quite easy and had no problems at all.

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I've been using Turbotax online for a few years. It doesn't cost too much, and there is voluminous online and printable documentation of the form having been submitted.

As to the post office troll who suggested that the only way they ever lose mail is that the person didn't put it in the slot, I think a wedgie and whirly are in order... at the very least :evil: :evil: :evil:

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funaladanaly

Ha! That's hilarious about the wedgie! I used Turbo Tax and it said it would be a $18 charge if I wanted to file online. So I decided to just mail it in and have it done with. Who would have known? I've never had my mail lost before. At least I have a tracking number.

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Taxact.com all the way. Free to file federal, costs around $13 for my state to file that. Love it. Have used it since I've stopped using my accountant. I made a fair amount and it was still free. I wouldn't have qualified for any sort of tax assistance last year (though being a doctoral student will help next year, possibly, for an EIC). I have fairly simple taxes, nothing too complicated, and it keeps track of returns from previous years too.

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On April 7, I was a good citizen and I mailed off my tax returns more than a week early. Since it was such an important document, I used certified mail, and got a tracking number (my saving grace here).

Now my post office has this thing called the Automated Postal Center. When the line is really long, you can prepare your own certified mail. I've used it many times before, and went ahead and used it again here. I paid for the postage and the certification with the credit card, and I got a receipt with the tracking number and a certified sticker to put on the envelope.

This is the part I don't quite remember. I recall that one of the employees at the post office offered to take my mail back (I don't remember if it was that day or a different day). I know he's an employee because I go to the post office on a daily basis, and he's helped me behind the counter before. So, I hand him the mail. Either that or I put it in the mail box right beside the APC.

Two weeks later, my tax return is coming up as "the post office has received notification of mailing." It never entered the mailing stream. I have called the post office before now, and one woman said it had entered the mailing stream and was on its way to Georgia. However, when it still didn't arrive, I called back. This time they documented my concern and contacted my local post office.

So the local post office calls, and I give them the tracking number, and he suggests that I didn't put it in the mailbox!!! He said that if I had, it would have gotten there. I was like, I did put it in. He said, then it would have been logged in. Well duh, obviously its been misplaced somehow.

He said that tomorrow I can go and get a receipt of mailing. I contacted the IRS, and the guy was definitely sympathetic. He said that if I got a late charge, to ask for an abatement and send a copy of the receipt.

I'm going to refile. I am giving them my copy of the W-2 (I made myself another copy), another original return, and a letter explaining the situation along with the receipts. Hopefully, fingers crossed, I'll get my return and rebate without any problems, and they will not charge me a late penalty.

If it did enter the mailing stream, is it not possible that someone intercepted it Everyone knows it's tax time, everyone knows what a tax return cheque looks like. Mine got stolen once.

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