Tax return - Do you use return receipt mailing?

Factual Questions
1

Hi all
I have a question for you. When sending your tax return do you use return receipt requested or just throw on 2 stamps and let it go? Am I doing something risky by just dropping them in a mail box? Does it make a diffrence if you are getting a refund* or paying or just filling forms?

  • refund = the gov’t has taken your money, holds it till the end of the year and wants you to be grateful and happy when they give it back to you with no intrest - give me a F*&^$n break. (had to get that out)
2

Well, when I was getting refunds, I filed electronically which eliminated the need for a receipt since you get an email confirmation. I filed electronically this year and had to pay both Fed & State (hah! got their money for a while!) and sent in the payments certified. With certified, the envelopes are assigned a number, you get a receipt, and if something happens they can track the mail. A return receipt has to be purchased in addition to another mailing option (I think) so it makes it a bit more expensive. Funny how it takes so long to get the refund, yet they deposited my checks in 3 days. Unbelievable.

3

A return receipt is evidence that the return was received. If you’re making a payment, your cancelled check is just as good a receipt.

Contrary to MizGrand, Certified mail is not tracked; it merely shows evidence of being sent and evidence of being received. When certified mail reaches the final address, the postman (usually) notices the certified stamp and gets the recipient to sign a receipt. The receipt is sent back to the sender via regular mail. If certified mail is lost, just send it again. Registered mail is tracked; Certivied Mail is not.

4

For two years in a row I tried return receipt. My taxes were filed, refunds received, but never received a receipt. I can only imagine that hundreds of thousands are received each day and no one is going to sign for them (your tax dollars at work).

5

A return receipt isn’t evidence that the return was received. It is just evidence that something in an envelope was sent.

If you owe money your canceled check is the best evidence you can have. If you are due a refund you can refile if they lose it. They are going to care if you file late. They just get to hold your money a little longer.

6

All depends on your situation. The failure-to-file penalty which would be invoked if it was lost in the mail is 5% of the tax owed (per month!). So if you’re getting a refund, there is no penalty at all. So why bother proving you sent it in? But if you have to pay, it’s probably worth it. Return receipts only cost $1.50. If your tax owed is greater than $30, that’s cheaper than 1 month’s worth of penalty.