Accidentally Paid Federal Taxes Twice

[TwoThumbsWayUp]

I can’t seem to find any sort of definitive answer on this. I accidentally paid my federal tax return twice this year. Normally I pay it separately from my taxes being filed, but this year my accountant accidentally checked the box to automatically pay it from my checking out.

Regardless, I paid my federal taxes owed twice and I can’t find a straight answer on how to get the money back. I’ve read…

“The IRS will recognize the error on their own and return it.”
How long does this take? How will I know? What happens if they don’t discover it?

“Call them and let them know”
I can’t find one phone number where I can talk to an actual person and the help by keypad doesn’t give me the option anywhere to ask about this.

[Mike9241]

if the other payment is properly documented with your taxpayer identification, the IRS will pick up the second payment and should refund it unless there are offsets in effect. you can also call the iRS 

if you call have the check or identification number for the duplicate at hand. it will be on the back of the canceled check or if you paid by debit or credit card there should be a document ID on the statement. if you used direct pay there's a confirmation number - you should have no issues if you used direct pay because that's automatically picked up.

The time frame for receiving your refund can vary. Some have reported waiting up to 6 weeks for the refund to be processed and sent. The actual time may differ based on current IRS processing times and backlogs.

If you’re concerned about the status of your refund, you can check the IRS website for updates or contact them directly for more information. Reaching the IRS might be challenging during peak times or if there are any ongoing backlogs. It’s also worth noting that the refund will likely be issued in the form of a check sent through the mail

1. Call 1-800-829-1040 between the hours of 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM local time.
2. Press “1” for English or “2” for Spanish.
3. Press “2” for “answers about your personal income taxes.”
4. Press “1” for “questions about a form you have already submitted or a payment or to order a tax transcript.”
5. Press “3” for “all other questions about your tax history or payment.”
6. Press “2” for “all other questions about your tax history or payment.”
7. Do not input your Social Security Number when the recording tells you to.
8. Press “2” for “personal- or individual-tax related question.”
9. Press “3” for “all other inquiries.”
10. Wait to be connected to someone at the IRS.- don't be surprised if you get a busy signal or are disconnected. the IRS phone systems and agents can't handle the volume of calls they get at this time of the year.