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July 22, 2020
Question

refund didn't match

  • July 22, 2020
  • 1 reply
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my refund on turbo tax and wut I received was different even though turbo tax said it was accepted? 

    1 reply

    Employee
    July 22, 2020

    MY REFUND WAS LESS THAN I EXPECTED

    There can be a number of reasons why your refund was less than the amount you expected. First of all, look carefully at your actual tax returns.  There is sometimes confusion about the amount of refund to expect when users misinterpret the “summary” they saw in TurboTax. The amount of your refund is on your tax return.  Federal refund line 20 on Form 1040  State tax forms are all different so we cannot tell you what line to look at on your state form.  BUT it is important to actually LOOK at your tax return forms yourself and see the amounts of your tax refunds and/or tax due.  A lot of confusion would be avoided by doing that.

     

    TurboTax does not receive feedback from the IRS regarding money that was offset from your refund.  If you owed back taxes, child support, student loan debt, etc. you will receive a letter of explanation from the IRS in several weeks.  The WMR site will contain a message regarding your offset.  It is also possible that the IRS caught a mistake you made and reduced your refund.

     

    It is also possible that your state reduced your refund for debts owed in your state—if the state reduced your state refund you will receive a letter from the state.

    https://www.irs.gov/uac/tax-refund-offsets-pay-unpaid-debts

     IRS Treasury Offset Program Call Center at 1-800-304-3107

     

    Be aware also that your Federal refund and state refund do NOT come together. Federal and state tax returns are processed by two completely separate entities.  There is no rule as to which one will come first,

     

    Did you choose to have TT fees deducted from your Federal refund?  (Remember that if you did that, you also agreed to an extra refund processing fee of $39.99)

    How can I see my TurboTax  fees?   

    https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2565973-how-do-i-review-my-fees-in-turbotax-online

     

    https://www.irs.gov/uac/tax-refund-offsets-pay-unpaid-debts

     

     

    https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/refunds/help/what-is-a-refund-offset/00/26301

     

    Reduced Refund     https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc203

     

     

     NOTE: You can contact the IRS Treasury Offset Program Call Center at 1-800-304-3107 to ask if they have an offset for you on file. TurboTax would not have that information.

     

    https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/tax-payments/who-can-garnish-an-income-tax-refund/L7cPPzDyc

    **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.**
    August 29, 2020

    I had a similar issue. My refund was supposed to be $165, but the IRS deposited like a $1.79.

     

    My assumption was that TurboTax would be there to help us figure out what was wrong. This material doesn't seem to allow for the possibility of IRS or Turbo Tax error. But none of the variables apply to me. 

     

    TurboTax talks up the "we're there for you messages." In reality, though, will TurboTax help me figure this out? Or am I on my own?

     

     

    VolvoGirl
    Employee
    August 29, 2020

    The IRS has started paying interest on Refunds. Apparently even before you get the Refund.  See IRS notice posted August 18, 2020

    https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/13-point-9-million-americans-to-receive-irs-tax-refund-interest-taxable-payments-to-average-18-dollars

     

    Write a big note to yourself in your tax papers for it so you remember to enter the interest into your return next year as it will be taxable interest income.