<p>The state doesn’t matter since this is federal; I will look for someone in Washington or Philly for you, and will send to you a PM - it will be Tuesday though, as I do not expect to be in my office until then…</p>
<p>
My husband spent hours on the phone trying to get through. Then I spent hours again today and finally got a live person who was hopeless. kept putting me on hold (I’m guessing to ask someone else who also was clueless). Then finally told me to write a letter.</p>
<p>I do think it is an IRS error. I just can’t figure out what numbers they could have used to come up with an error of such magnitude. Non of the numbers tie into anything.</p>
<p>A couple of people I have talked to *would *have just cashed it and kept it - the thought process seems to be “oh it’s their mistake - what can they do”. My thought process does not work that way. I prefer to get it sorted out now then have problems with it a few years down the road.</p>
<p>LTS - thank you.</p>
<p>swimcatsmom,</p>
<p>If you’re familiar with newsgroups and know how to post to them, there’s a newsgroup called misc.taxes.moderated that is frequented by tax preparers, enrolled agents, even ex-IRS employees. You could post your question there and you’d get an informed opinion within a few hours, as well as advice as to where to turn next.</p>
<p>I’d also try to call the IRS again tomorrow and see if you can get someone more helpful. The probably won’t be able to answer your question over the phone right away, though. They usually do ask you to write a letter so that they can initiate an investigation into what happened. The wheels turn slowly there, unfortunately.</p>
<p>I think your strategy of not cashing it is a smart one. That’s one agency I would not want to get in trouble with. And problems down the road would mean you have to retun the money with penalties and %%. Did they by any chance thought she was eligible for child credit or something like that? It happened to our childless friends once.</p>
<p>
Well she just turned 19 - no kids. Certainly not 3 thank goodness. </p>
<p>My suspicion, because of the info in the letter which is so completely not relevant to her return, is that somehow they have switched someone elses info with hers and sent her their rebate. Not sure how that would work though as I don’t know how they enter the info. Could they somehow type in her personal info then somehow type in someone elses figures? Who knows.</p>
<p>patsmom - I might try that newsgroup - thanks.</p>
<p>This is honestly a true story and kind of fits here for comic relief-</p>
<p>I helped S do his taxes for 2007. He was very upset because he got stung with taxes. He had to make four tax payments on April 15- Fed tax balance, State tax balance, Fed tax Q1, State tax Q1. All four amounts (calculated by TurboTax) included the numbers “666”. What could I say?</p>
<p>That’s funny :D</p>
<p>I’ve seen a fair amount of goofy tax stuff over the years and sent plenty of letters to the IRS regarding a variety of issues. They make mistakes. All the time. Try calling one more time. If you can get a seasoned agent on the phone - things can get taken care of rather quickly. If you get tired of hold, or get another “not so helpful” individual, write a letter. Explain your “confusion”, include a copy of the check and everything that was with it, a copy of the actual return your daughter did file and request that the IRS notify you on how to handle the misdirected check. Send it certified mail with delivery confirmation. Keep a copy of everything you send.</p>
<p>Don’t be surprised, though, if an IRS agent won’t talk to you. It’s your adult daughter’s return and technically they shouldn’t talk to you about it unless you have some sort of power of attorney. Send one with the letter if you can arrange for your daughter to sign one. There is a particular form - 2848? - that is specific to and limits representation to tax matters.</p>
<p>I would also suggest that you verify that someone else is NOT using your daughter’s SS#. Probably not-but I’d double check. More than likely someone has just made an entry mistake with a number.</p>
<p>I agree with what vulture just stated.</p>
<p>I think that if your daughter is over 18, the IRS is unlikely to speak with you about her tax information. </p>
<p>In any event, I think that you should call the IRS again. The general number listed on the IRS website is 1-800-829-1040. Even if you get someone helpful on the phone, you should always follow up any conversation with the IRS with a written letter. Make sure to write down the name of the person with whom you speak and reference the date and time of the conversation with this person in your letter to the IRS. Send a cover letter explaining the situation along with copies of all of the relevant documentation. Most importantly, send the letter certified mail, return receipt requested. </p>
<p>Since it is possible that someone has been wrongfully using your daughter’s social security number, I would also suggest that she run a credit check on herself with each of the three major credit reporting agencies (TransUnion, Experian and Equifax. She should be entitled to one free credit check through all three agencies, and can do so easily through a FTC sponsored website (<a href=“http://www.annualcreditreport.com)%5B/url%5D”>www.annualcreditreport.com)</a>. You can find out more information at the FTC website (<a href=“http://www.ftc.gov)%5B/url%5D”>www.ftc.gov)</a>. </p>
<p>If there is any evidence of tampering or fraud, immediately notify each of the credit reporting agencies in writing to put a fraud alert on her account. In addition, you may want to notify the local police and any other local and federal government agencies as recommended on the FTC website.</p>
<p>I wish you the best of luck.</p>
<p>swimscat
I just PM’d you with a phone number and more information.</p>
<p>S. I just sent to you the contacts I mentioned - not sure if they will be useful or not, but…</p>
<p>taxguy always has excellent advce on this forum. Why don’t you PM him for a quick response?</p>
<p>I don’t have any suggestions that will help you resolve this, er, fortuitous occurrence (pun intended!). But if you want the IRS to respond, just CC every IRS administrator whose name you can locate — and be sure to put in the letter “After more than thirty attempts to resolve this issue with local offices and IRS HelpLines I am desperate: Can you help?”</p>
<p>On a tangentially-related note, today the IRS returned the tax returns for my three minor children. ZERO tax was due for any of them (and there were no refunds involved), but the IRS insisted it couldn’t “process” the returns until my 10-year-old put her John Hancock beneath mine. Your tax dollars at work.</p>
<p>It was on one of the national news programs this weekend: A woman received a tax incentive check for an amount around $500,000. The bank official interviewed said it was the biggest “genuine” check from a government agency he has ever seen that was a mistake. The IRS’s official comment was that the decimal place was “misplaced.” </p>
<p>Your D is not the only one. AND our paper ran an article warning many that their checks might not arrive until late summer due to a glitch causing a large number of folks getting the wrong checks, keeping others from getting theirs all together until the computers can be reprogrammed.</p>