It’s pretty cool to get checks in the mail. It’s even more fun to get a check from the IRS.
But what if you get an unusual check from the IRS or a tax refund amount other than the one you expected?
Is it a time for mourning if the amount is lower than planned?
Is it a time for celebration when you get back more than requested?
No. It’s not time for either one. In fact, it’s a time for caution.
When you get a check with a different amount than you expected from the IRS it means there is a problem.
It means the IRS has a different view about your tax return than you do and that requires your immediate attention my friend.
The last people you want to be at odds with are those who work for the IRS.
So forget about the money for the time being. When you get a strange check from the IRS you need to get to the bottom of what’s going on as soon as you can.
IRS Explanations
Often the check comes in the mail with no explanation whatsoever. But don’t fret.
Sooner or later the IRS will send you a letter detailing why they sent you an amount different from the one you were expecting.
Don’t ask me why they don’t send the letter with the check. (This is just a demonstration of the genius behind the IRS and something they alone can understand.)
In the letter, they’ll try to explain the reason for the discrepancy. Sometimes it’s as simple as a tiny math error they think you made or as complicated as applying the wrong credits or deductions.
Regardless, they will explain their position in the letter they send you.
Neal’s Notes: The IRS also make mistakes. Maybe they didn’t credit you with a tax payment you made or they made another error. But even if their error benefits you, don’t be complacent. If they later discover their error you’ll be socked with penalties and interest despite the fact that they were the cause of the problem. Nice.
Interpreting The IRS Explanation
When you get the IRS letter, it will typically show the information you submitted on your tax return and compare it to the data they think should have been submitted. This will help you pinpoint where the problem is.
If this change results in additional interest, penalties levied against you, don’t worry – they’ll tell you about it in the letter too.
If you still don’t quite get what the IRS is trying to say, don’t be alarmed.
Most IRS letters provide a phone number and contact person to call. A quick conversation might be all you need to clear things up.
Even if you do understand what they are saying, I strongly recommend you send a copy of the letter and the check to your tax professional as soon as you get it.
That’s exactly what I do whenever the IRS writes to me. I let CPA Ron handle it from beginning to end. Life is good.
What To Do With The Check
Of course, I’d take my CPAs advice on what to do with the money but my preference would be to hold on to the check rather than cash it until I was sure the money was mine.
This way, if the check turns out to have been sent out in error, I can return it and the IRS probably won’t compound the problem by misunderstanding and crediting the wrong account or person.
I’ve learned the hard way how easy it is for the Treasury to misapply checks and how painful (for me) their mistakes can be.
Many years ago I sent a tax payment to the IRS for the current year.
Rather than apply that payment towards the current year, they credited the payments as a pre-payment for the following year.
Why they did this even though the amount I sent was exactly the amount I owed was a secret that mortal minds will never understand. Again, this is another example of IRS brain genius.
As a result, I showed as overpaid for the following year but underpaid for the current tax year.
And since I only discovered this mistake 6 months later I racked up all kinds of penalties and interest. That’s right.
And even this was their fault, the IRS forced me to pay the penalties and interest in order to clear up the mess and regain my sanity. Very unfair. Very painful. Very true.
If you get a check from the IRS with an amount you didn’t expect, don’t rest until you get to the underlying reasons behind the discrepancy.
Even if you have to pay your CPA to work it out with the IRS, its money well spent.
The IRS is an organization you shouldn’t trifle with Pilgrim. At least that has been my experience.
Have you ever received an unexpected amount from the IRS? What did you do? What was the reason for the discrepancy?
Dianna says
I got a check for $698 after amending my taxes and having to pay $180 they deducted the $180 on June 6 and today I got the check. I immediately bought a New purse. Kidding. Called my tax person and she is looking into it. It might have been her error.
jell says
There is literally no way to get a human at the IRS. They deposited a completely unexpected and unwarranted amount into my account. I have no way to contact them about THEIR ERROR. I now simply have to wait as they decide to withdraw that amount back out of my account at some unknown date with I’m sure penalties. It should absolutely be 100% illegal to have a company or government entity that you cannot talk to. This is never how the U.S. was. This is not okay!!!
T Meeks says
I received more than I was due, but that was because they owed me interest, after an ID theft claim for years I had already done an Offer in Compromise for.
Irene Frentz says
It’s not only the IRS that makes mistakes. Several years ago we unexpectedly got a big refund from the state. Apparently, unbeknownst to us they had declared my husband and myself both blind and over 65 (all in error!). It took some effort to get that fixed!
Neal Frankle, CFP ® says
WOW! Unbelievable! I wish I could say I was surprised…..but I’ve never been impressed by the IRS..
FAY SMITH says
I am self employed and after paying my quarterly taxes, I owed $98.00. I sent a check for that amount but after I sent the check, I realized that I declared $15 less on my paid estimated taxes than I had actually paid. Since it was such a small amount, I didn’t think it would affect my return. A week later I got a check for $50.00. How they decided I needed money back so quickly, I have no clue. And why $50.00? I really hope it’s correct that I will get an explanation someday. I am not going to even try to call them, it’s just hopeless. However, I will not deposit the check.
Laurie Ruiz says
Same thing happenedto me today. Called my credit union and the said call the IRS – lol!
Kay says
I did my taxes on my own.. always do, have been since I was 16, never had a problem.. this year I completed (but did NOT FILE) through turbo tax (didn’t want to pay turbo tax) so I completed them and FILED them via e-file for free. In the process of filing I got the same numbers in 3 different electronic programs AND by hand. owed the same in every instance, no discrepancies (one electronic method didn’t have the functionality to take into account investment losses but when added in by hand, the amount owed was the same as the other electronic 2 methods). Then, last week I got a check for the entire amount back… Every method used indicated I owed, every method indicated I owed the same amount, I double and triple checked. In the tax year I did have a job that was contract/temporary, they did not take out fed taxes, but did take out SS & Medicare so I wasn’t surprised to owe (I was surprised at how much, but not that I owed). I believe this check is an error and refuse to cash it. What do you think?
Neal Frankle, CFP ® says
Hmmm…..I would call the IRS
Arielle Adamy says
I used a treasury bond last year but forgot to pay the tax. So I sent a correction with an explanation and the code for the bond. They sent us the check back. My husband just cashed it. Now I am nervous because we didn’t call the IRS. We always get money back on our taxes but a treasury bond is different. You have to pay even if you don’t owe that year, correct ? It counts as part of your income.
Mike says
I filed an amended return and owed $5 for not adding some income we got from a class action. Then I get a check and a letter for a significant sum of money. When I called they told me it was a credit for withheld taxes. They could not tell me who withheld those taxes for me. I cannot for the life of me figure this out. Should I return the check along with copies of my return and tell them unless they can say who that came from and that it was for me, I am not going to cash the check?
Neal Frankle, CFP ® says
Frustrating. Hmmm. I would ask my tax person just to be sure.
Neal
Swaroop reddy says
Can you please let me know what other people did when they got extra money into there bank account from IRS.
I’ve been trying to talk to irs abd sort this out but they are not sure how i got extra money.
Please help me out in this matter.
Neal Frankle, CFP ® says
What happened?
S O says
This happened to me yesterday. I have no idea why I got this refund if I hadn’t even file my taxes yet! I called my bank and there is a questionable deposit noted. Turn around time is 3-5 business days. I am interested to know why.