IRS Form 9325 Instructions

Your tax professional has completed your tax return and sent it off to the Internal Revenue Service. But how do you know that the IRS accepted it? IRS Form 9325, Acknowledgement and General Information for Taxpayers Who File Returns Electronically, is the official form that the IRS uses to inform taxpayers that their federal return was accepted.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at IRS Form 9325 so you can better understand what to look for when your accountant electronically files your individual income tax return.

IRS Form 9325 instructions

irs form 9325 top section
The top of Form 9325 acknowledges the taxpayer’s participation in IRS e-file

Let’s take a closer look to see what important points you, as the taxpayer, may want to look out for.

Box 1

Box 1 simply states the tax year of your tax return, and which processing center received it. It will also list the ERO’s information.

Box 2

If you entered a personal identification number (PIN), or you authorized your ERO to generate one on your behalf, you’ll see this box checked. The IRS requires your ERO to obtain an IRS Form 8879, IRS e-file Signature Authorization, from their client if the ERO generates the PIN or enters one on the taxpayer’s behalf.

The ERO will also use IRS Form 8453, U.S. Individual Income Tax Transmittal for an IRS e-file Return, to send required paper forms or supporting documentation listed.

Finally, Box 2 will contain a submission ID number. This is a unique item for your specific tax return.

Box 3

This box might be checked if the return has previously rejected, and if this submission still has invalid data.

For example, if you claimed the Earned Income Credit on your income tax return, but your child’s name and Social Security number are mismatched, this might require more time to process.

If you receive a notice from the IRS and you don’t know what to do with it, you can look it up on the IRS Notices playlist, located on our YouTube channel. If we haven’t covered your notice in one of our videos, drop a comment and we’ll create one!

IRS form 9325 options
Based on the status of your tax return, you can expect one or more of these boxes to be checked.

Box 4

If you see Box 4 checked, that means that the IRS accepted your electronic payment.

Box 5

If you see Box 5 checked, that means the IRS did not accept your electronic payment.

You must pay your outstanding tax liability by check, money order, debit card, or credit card. You can do this through the IRS website.

Box 6

Box 6 is only selected if you requested an automatic extension on IRS Form 4868 and the IRS approved your request.

However, IRS Form 9325 only gives you general information about your tax return. For example, if you made a mistake in filing your return, or if you experience a tax offset for unpaid debts, this form will not address them.

In case of an audit, this form can show that your tax return was:

  • Filed on time
  • Accepted by the Internal Revenue Service
  • Accompanied by tax payment, if applicable

Just as importantly, your form should show what, if anything, you need to do regarding your tax liability. But there are some things you should watch out for as well.

What you should keep an eye out for after you’ve filed

Here are some things you might not see when you receive your Form 9325.

Mistakes you made when filing your tax return

Everyone makes mistakes. Even if you hire a tax professional to help you complete and file your tax return, you might make a mistake on your income tax return.

What you should do: If it turns out that you made an error in filing your tax return, you’ll eventually need to file IRS Form 1040-X, Amended Tax Return, for the year in question. However, you should not do this until after the IRS has processed your first return.

YouTube video
Watch this instructional video to learn more about filing an amended tax return using IRS Form 1040-X.

If your mistake resulted in an underpayment of tax, you should discuss your payment options with your tax professional.

Pro tip: Most tax professionals will cover the cost of filing an amended tax return if the mistake was one they made on your tax return. If this happens to you, ask your tax preparer what their policy is.

If your tax pro made a mistake and is charging you an extra fee to fix it, then you should probably find another tax preparer.

Status of your refund

The IRS notifies your ERO when your tax return has been accepted, and is being processed. This usually happens within 48 hours of receiving the electronic file containing your tax return.

But this doesn’t help taxpayers wanting to know the status of their electronic returns, or when they’re going to receive their refund. There are some options available, but you’ll probably need to wait at least 3 weeks before you see any new information.

Exception: If your Form 9325 has Box 3 checked, you may have to wait 4-6 weeks before finding the status of your refund.

Let’s go over the options that might be available for you to check the status of your tax return.

Call the TeleTax number

You can reach the IRS’ automated number, 1-800-829-4477 to obtain information. You won’t talk to a live person, but you can check the status of your return here. You’ll need the following information:

  • First social security number shown on your return
  • Filing status
  • Exact refund amount you’re expecting

Check the status of your return on the IRS website

If you navigate to the IRS web site, you should see, “Where’s my refund?” as one of the navigation options. Simply select that option and you can check the status of your return online.

If you owe additional tax

If your tax return has a balance due, you must pay that by the filing due date. For taxpayers paying by funds withdrawal from a bank account, or by credit card, you do not need a voucher.

You may use IRS Form 1040-V, Payment Voucher, if you want to pay by check or money order.

YouTube video

Tax refund related financial products

Financial institutions might offer a variety of financial products or entice their taxpayer with offers for their favorite products. If you’re using a commercial tax preparation service, such as TurboTax, you might receive emails from their marketing partners.

The IRS clearly states that they have nothing to do with any of these marketing activities. If you have any questions, it might be a good idea to ask your tax professional for more information.

Video walkthrough

YouTube video
Watch this video to learn more about your ERO acknowledgement!

frequently asked questions

What is IRS Form 9325?

IRS Form 9325 is the IRS acknowledgement that they have received your electronic individual income tax return data. Technically, your ERO uses acknowledgement file information from transmitted returns to generate the Form 9325. This serves as the taxpayer’s receipt that the IRS accepted your electronically filed tax return.

What is an electronic return originator?

According to the IRS website, an electronic return originator, or ERO, is “the Authorized IRS e-file Provider who originates the electronic submission of a return to the IRS. The ERO is usually the first point of contact for most taxpayers filing a return using IRS e-file.”

If you paid a tax prep fee for someone to help you file your tax return, then your tax preparer is most likely your ERO as well.

Do I need to do anything if I receive a Form 9325?

Possibly not. Your ERO should generate a version simply to let you know that the IRS has received your income tax return. However, any outstanding action items should be clearly outlined on your completed form. Some tax preparers print this report automatically for every return and extension. They might do this for their own recordkeeping purposes as well as to provide a copy to the taxpayer.

Where can I find a copy of Form 9325?

You can always find reproducible copies of federal tax forms, such as Form 9325 on the IRS website. For your convenience, you can also download the copy provided below.

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4 Comments

  1. Greg Linton says:

    I had issues figuring out my Premium Tax Credits for TY 2020. I filed by the extension deadline in Oct. 2021, but then was able to get the tax credits right and my CPA filed an amended 1040X in January of 2022. I have been unable to get any information from the IRS’ website or phone line regarding the status of my amended return. It’s been 23 months since it was filed. My CPA says she filed it (but I don’t know if it was electronically filed). My original 1040 for 2020 was filed electronically and I have the Form 9325 with my copy of the paperwork. It took me over a year to get a copy of my 1040X from my CPA and there was no 9325 as part of the package. Should there have been? I’m unclear whether the IRS would send out the 9325 just to acknowledge the return has been received, regardless of how long it takes them to process it. Thank you

    1. Forrest Baumhover says:

      Greg,

      I’m sorry for your frustration. Amended returns take a long time, but I’ve never heard one that takes 2 years, without any indication on the IRS website that they received your return. You should have been able to confirm IRS receipt well before now.

      Form 9325 is generated by your tax return preparer as a receipt, based upon IRS notification that they received regarding your original tax return. There’s no indication that Form 9325 should be generated for amended returns, even if they were filed electronically.

      I would press your CPA about the details of your amended return (when it was filed, whether it was filed electronically or by paper, etc.). Get as much information as you can. If your CPA isn’t engaged, then you may need to find another CPA. From there, your new CPA should be able to help you navigate the situation.

      I wish you the best of luck.

  2. Mark DeMazza says:

    Hi Forrest,

    My name is Mark. I am trying to obtain a residence visa from Spain so that I can move there to be with my son and my 2 year old grandson. Last week I had my appointment at the Spanish consulate in NYC. There were 10 items that I needed to complete my visa application. This visa requires that I have enough passive income that I won’t have to work. I have my Social Security benefits and a pension that more than meet the minimum income requirement. Unfortunately the consulate decided they wanted the last 3 years of tax returns and a form 9325 for each year. And I had 10 days to do it. My Social Security benefits and pension less the standard deduction makes my income less than 0 so I don’t have to file a tax return. But my youngest son was in college so I had to file a return for his FAFSA for 2020 and 2021. Which I did myself using the tax prep software on the IRS website. When 2022 rolled around I did not file because he had graduated. So I didn’t.

    I tried to file for 2022 last week and I found that it couldn’t be submitted electronically. It had to be mailed. So I created the return for 2022 and it was mailed to the IRS. Last night I filed 2023 electronically. It still hasn’t been processed as today is the first day IRS will process. But I am not an ERO and I know it’s the ERO who requests Form 9325 from the IRS. I’m baffled as to how the consulate expects people who don’t use a tax preparer and file electronically or who mail in their own return.

    I am wondering if you have any advice? I am at my wits end.

    1. Forrest Baumhover says:

      Mark,

      The only thing I can recommend is to find a CPA or an EA in your local area that would be able to help you out in your current time constraint. If you can find someone who can electronically file your tax return for you, and generate the Form 9325 from the IRS for your 2022 return, that’s the only solution that I can think of.

      However, you will run into problems with a paper tax return and an electronic one that were both filed for 2022. But if obtaining the visa is the priority for you, then you would probably be able to sort through those issues down the road.

      On the other hand, talking with a tax professional about your specific situation might also help you come up with an alternative way forward (if there is one).

      I wish you the best of luck.