Unexpected refund from IRS

Forum|Forum|4 years ago
April 19, 2022
4 replies
34 views

I filed taxes for 2021. I owed huge amount of taxes which I paid directly through my bank checking account. Return was accepted.

Now about two weeks later, I got a check from Dept of treasury (around $500). Says tax refund on the check. It has just a check and no letter explaining what is this check for.

could anyone explain why I got this check? Was my tax return was audited and IRS system figured out I paid taxes more than I needed? Will this impact my state tax return which I already filed?

xmasbaby0

Level 15

Only the IRS can tell you what the check was for. TurboTax does not get any information from the IRS after you file your tax return. Check your online IRS account to see if there is any information or call the IRS to ask (although that will be hard to do)

https://www.irs.gov/payments/your-online-account

To call the IRS:IRS:  800-829-1040  hours 7 AM - 7 PM local time Mon-Fri
Listen to each menu before making the selection.
First choose your language. Press 1 for English.
Then do NOT choose the first choice re: "Refund", or it will send you to an automated phone line.
Instead, press 2 for "personal income tax".
Then press 1 for "form, tax history, or payment".
Then press 3 "for all other questions."
Then press 2 "for all other questions."  It should then transfer you to an agent.

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**

Carl

Level 11

Typically, you can expect to get a letter from the IRS in the next 3-4 weeks explaining things. If I were to guess, I would say you're probably self-employed and you made a $500 quarterly tax payment at some time in 2021 to the IRS, that you forgot to enter on your tax return. Therefore, you overpaid your taxes by $500.

But regardless, you can expect a letter in the next 3-4 weeks. Meanwhile, I'd suggest you not spend that money until you "know" you can keep it.

Deedee24

Level 2

I had the same thing happen for my 2021 taxes: owed a lot and paid it, and have now received a nearly $5k refund check. I don’t understand why TurboTax is misestimating the taxes I owe this much - I have W-2 income, and am not self employed.

SweetieJean

Alumni - Champ

TT goes by your data entry and answers to questions. Could you have made a keying error? Or did you apply part or all of your 2020 refund towards 2021 estimated taxes?

debbiedragonlady

Level 2

Most likely you paid in too much through estimated taxes and the IRS ended up sending you a refund.

oxyjimj

Level 2

Used TT to file my 2021 federal return. We made quarterly estimated tax payments through the EFTPS filing system. We owed additional and paid it electronically with our filing. Received a refund check from the IRS in the amount of the total quarterly estimated payments. Using the explanation letter, we subsequently determined that on the original return we had mistakenly entered the quarterly payments in the Other Income Taxes section and not the Estimates Section of TT. This duplicated the quarterly payment amount from the IRS perspective and they consequently issued us a refund. This is money we are not entitled to because we did not make duplicate payments to the IRS. We have filed an amended returned correcting the error.