Refund Status

[joe645]

I have gone to the IRS Refund Status website and entered the requested information (SSN, Filing Status & Amount) right off my 1040 form but the site keeps telling me that the information I entered is incorrect.

 

[cbg]

I'm sorry to hear that.

When you have a legal question, be sure to let us know.

 

[Zigner]

I have gone to the IRS Refund Status website and entered the requested information (SSN, Filing Status & Amount) right off my 1040 form but the site keeps telling me that the information I entered is incorrect.

Bummer.
This site is not designed to provide troubleshooting advice. Contact the IRS.

 

[joe645]

Excuse Me!

 

[LdiJ]

I have gone to the IRS Refund Status website and entered the requested information (SSN, Filing Status & Amount) right off my 1040 form but the site keeps telling me that the information I entered is incorrect.

That means that something you entered doesn't match the IRS system, or your tax return didn't go through when you efiled. You need to look at your hard copy of your tax return and make sure that you are entering everything exactly as it appears on the tax return. If you are, then you need to make sure that your return actually went through and did not reject for some reason.

Bottom line? Either you are entering something wrong or your return did not go through when you thought you filed.

 

[LdiJ]

Bummer.
This site is not designed to provide troubleshooting advice. Contact the IRS.

Speak for yourself Zig. I am more than capable of providing that kind of troubleshooting advice and I suspect that a couple of others are as well.

 

[Taxing Matters]

I have gone to the IRS Refund Status website and entered the requested information (SSN, Filing Status & Amount) right off my 1040 form but the site keeps telling me that the information I entered is incorrect.

Did you electronically file the return or mail it? And how long ago did you mail it? And what specific amount is it asking you to enter? Adjusted gross income (AGI), or the refund amount you claimed? If you made some kind of error on the return, that could create problems in the system being able to give you personal information, in which case you'd need to wait for the letter the IRS sends you about the problem it has with your return.

 

[LdiJ]

Did you electronically file the return or mail it? And how long ago did you mail it? And what specific amount is it asking you to enter? Adjusted gross income (AGI), or the refund amount you claimed? If you made some kind of error on the return, that could create problems in the system being able to give you personal information, in which case you'd need to wait for the letter the IRS sends you about the problem it has with your return.

Actually an error won't cause that on "where's my refund". It would still show under the original refund amount, it would just tell the taxpayer that there was a discrepancy.

No, either the OP is typing in something that doesn't match the return submitted, or the return is not in the system, either because they didn't get it (mail or e-file) or it rejected.

 

[Taxing Matters]

Actually an error won't cause that on "where's my refund". It would still show under the original refund amount, it would just tell the taxpayer that there was a discrepancy.

It depends on the error, I think. I had in mind an error on the return such as a typo on the SSN, name control mismatch, or other identifying information that, as you mentioned, may conflict with the information the OP is entering now. The type of error message, being very generic, would first make think that some item that the OP entered which the IRS uses to verify the identity of the filer is off, either on the return or in what he/she is entering now. Obviously, without seeing the return and what the OP is entering we both are left just speculating on what the problem is. If the IRS received the return (and if no return was filed that's the message I'd expect, if the OP entered his/her identifying info correctly), the OP should get a letter about it later. In that case, he or she will just have to be patient, which I realize is hard to do if the refund is signficant and the OP is counting on that money for something. I know when I'm expecting money to come in, I sometimes get a bit impatient waiting for it to arrive, even if all I'm going to do with it for now is stick in the bank account.

I don't file a lot of returns for clients; and then it's mostly returns other than income tax. I refer people to other tax pros for income tax who are set up to do it far more efficiently than I can do it and won't charge them as much as I would. I wouldn't be real surprised if you or your firm get calls from anxious clients about their refunds, even with electronic filing. Americans today are so used to instant transactions that waiting for any amount of time for something feels like an eternity. I'm just as guilty of that as anyone else.

 

[LdiJ]

It depends on the error, I think. I had in mind an error on the return such as a typo on the SSN, name control mismatch, or other identifying information that, as you mentioned, may conflict with the information the OP is entering now. The type of error message, being very generic, would first make think that some item that the OP entered which the IRS uses to verify the identity of the filer is off, either on the return or in what he/she is entering now. Obviously, without seeing the return and what the OP is entering we both are left just speculating on what the problem is. If the IRS received the return (and if no return was filed that's the message I'd expect, if the OP entered his/her identifying info correctly), the OP should get a letter about it later. In that case, he or she will just have to be patient, which I realize is hard to do if the refund is signficant and the OP is counting on that money for something. I know when I'm expecting money to come in, I sometimes get a bit impatient waiting for it to arrive, even if all I'm going to do with it for now is stick in the bank account.

I don't file a lot of returns for clients; and then it's mostly returns other than income tax. I refer people to other tax pros for income tax who are set up to do it far more efficiently than I can do it and won't charge them as much as I would. I wouldn't be real surprised if you or your firm get calls from anxious clients about their refunds, even with electronic filing. Americans today are so used to instant transactions that waiting for any amount of time for something feels like an eternity. I'm just as guilty of that as anyone else.

You would not BELIEVE how many anxious people we have to deal with. 95% of them are just panicking for no reason, but there are some that are justified.