Multiple Years

[travis bickle]

the only reason i do not do this

I put each year in a separate envelope and mark the type of return and year on the outside of the envelope just as if they would send it to the IRS. Then I have them take all of the individual envelopes and put them in one large envelope and mail together. When IRS receives the returns they can't just staple the returns together as one, but have to open each year individually.

is because when it is opened in the IRS mailroom, the large envelope will be stapled to one return as "proof" of receipt. The other returns will have no such "proof" [however strong or weak one may wish to interpret that "proof"].

Separate envelopes and no problems.

[taxea]

I've had back filers take the return directly to the local IRS office. If you take a copy of the front page of the return, it will be stamped at the office with the date of filing. That serves as the receipt of filing, much like the e-file ACK does. Much better than a return receipt from the mail.

I totally agree with this procedure and ask the client to provide a copy of the "receipt" for my file.