[quartz]

> Manually file your 83(b). Don't use Carta to do it. Instead, download the form from the IRS website, fill it out, and mail it to the IRS within the strict 30-day deadline. You'll need to get a signature from your spouse, too.

I could be wrong but last time I checked the IRS doesn't provide an official form for this. It does provide a sample election letter[1] but this sample does not include a space for a spouse to sign. You'd need to include an additional line for this yourself in the letter you draft if you wanted it.

Don't forget: if you do this yourself make sure to mail it certified mail with return receipt as physical evidence that it was delivered.

A few months after delivery you can also call any IRS service center and ask them to verify they have the letter on file (these days everything is scanned into the system so any IRS person can find it vs. having to call the center that received it).

[1] https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/rp-12-29.pdf

[swampthing]

It's important to also get the certified mail receipt physically postmarked by the USPS (it is possible to send certified mail without that). Also, it's a common best practice to include an additional copy of the election along with a self-addressed stamped envelope, and ask the IRS to date-stamp the copy and send it back to you.

[khzw8yyy]

If the IRS (hypothetically) doesn't have the letter on file, how would one go about fixing such a problem?