<p>Every year I have to file our federal taxes on paper because of some detail or another that causes the program to say we are ineligible to e-file. </p>
<p>Does anyone know how long I should expect it to take before I am able to get a tax transcript or use the FAFSA import tool? (I just filed.)</p>
<p>My son is a returning student, so our financial aid deadline is not until late April. </p>
<p>I'm wondering if I should start on FAFSA now or just wait until I can do the import?</p>
<p>Do you owe? If so, make sure you pay when you file as the IRS will not process the return until you pay. Paper returns take longer and it could be six weeks before you have access to a transcript or the retrieval tool.</p>
<p>No, by some miracle we figured our estimated taxes almost perfectly, and are getting a very small refund.</p>
<p>If it’s really likely to be 6 weeks, we should definitely go ahead with FAFSA now and call the school to explain why we won’t be able to give them a tax transcript right away. I assume that since the transcript is really only evidence of the stuff I am entering by hand, they will be able to deal with getting it later if necessary.</p>
<p>If you have all of the paperwork pretty much done, you can probably e-file through the IRS website like I did using the “Free File Fillable Forms”. Here is the link: <a href=“https://www.freefilefillableforms.com/FFA/Gateway/FED.htm[/url]”>https://www.freefilefillableforms.com/FFA/Gateway/FED.htm</a></p>
<p>These are online versions of the paper forms, so anything that you need is probably there. You will have to do some hand calculations for those things that have to be done on the worksheets inside the instructions, and you will have to copy some results from one form onto another, but the forms do all of the addition and subtraction themselves which is a big time-saver. Once everything is completed, your whole set of forms is transmitted to the IRS and you are done.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>It takes awhile for paper returns to be ready for import (4-6 weeks, maybe?). I would suggest just filling it out … unless the school requires everyone to import, you only need to do it if you are selected for verification.</p>
<p>You don’t have to import. The FAFSA let you enter manually and the FA office or the FAFSA somehow will verify later. And there are not many items to import.</p>
<p>The school does require everyone to import. AND send everything through IDOC every year. They’re very generous with their aid though, so I can’t complain.</p>
<p>Actually what they said in their most recent correspondence was:</p>
<p>"The FAFSA now includes a feature that will allow a family to “Link to the IRS” so that tax data will be loaded directly into the FAFSA from the IRS. You should use this feature if you are eligible to do so. This will prevent you from needing to take additional steps later in the process. "</p>
<p>So I’ll just go ahead and take the additional steps later as needed.</p>
<p>I had to file by paper, sent it priority and IRS received it Feb 17th. This last week I was able to check where’s my refund and it says not until April 24th, which is over 9 weeks from when they received it? Can I assume I can’t get a tax transcript until I get my refund? I can’t believe it really takes that long.</p>
<p>
Keep checking as the transcript would be available once the return is processed which would be before you get your refund unless you opted for automatic deposit.</p>
<p>Somehow I got lucky, after telling me my refund wouldn’t be deposited until April 24th, it showed up in my checking account today! So it was almost 5 weeks with a paper return.</p>
<p>jbsmom, I’m sure they give out very conservative estimates when you do “where’s my refund” so you’ll be happy when it maybe gets there early, and not counting on it for some critical need earlier, in case it would have been late.</p>
<p>But anyhow, glad you got your refund, and can you now get a transcript?</p>
<p>There are a number of circumstances that force filing of a paper return, even when the return is prepared by a CPA. Anyone who pays “nanny taxes” for childcare (Schedule H) who lives in states with certain federal unemployment obligations must file on paper, for example.</p>