Applying overpayment

[ILLMAS]

I will be finalizing an individual tax return for 2017, 2018 & 2019 this week, TP has a refund in 2017 and 2018, is this the correct way of applying the refund to 2019?

2017: request refund to be applied to 2018

2018: add 2017 + 2018 refund and request to be applied 2019

Or just let the IRS apply the refund to the 2019 balance?

 

Thanks

[Max W]

Just follow the sequence you suggest   There is no way to request that the refund be applied to a different year than the following year.  

Frankly, if you do nothing, the IRS will take care of it, but I would want to double check.