If your debt meets submission criteria for offset, BFS (Burea of the Fiscal Services) will reduce your refund as needed to pay off the debt you owe to the agency. Any portion of your remaining refund, after the offset, is issued in a check or direct deposit as originally requested on the return.
(See IRS Topic
Number: 203 - Refund Offsets)
BFS will send you a notice if an offset occurs. The notice will reflect the original refund amount, your offset amount, the agency receiving the payment, and the address and telephone number of the agency. BFS will notify the IRS of the amount taken from your refund once your refund date has passed. You should contact the agency shown on the notice if you believe you don't owe the debt or if you're disputing the amount taken from your refund. If you don't receive a notice:
- Contact the BFS's TOP call center at 800-304-3107 or TDD 866-297-0517, Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST.
- Contact the IRS only if your original refund amount shown on the BFS offset notice differs from the refund amount shown on your tax return.
*PLEASE NOTE: TurboTax does not have information concerning a taxpayer's refund or offset.
