Received refund check for estimated payment applied to 2019 instead of 2020

[jreality]

Received a large refund check today for an estimated payment I made in July that I accidentally applied to 2019 instead of 2020. I was led to believe applying to prior year didn’t matter. Today I received large refund check for that amount I had paid in July, plus interest. Is there a way I can have the IRS cancel the check I received today and apply the original amount paid in July to 2020?

If not, then does this mean I will have to deposit this check and then immediately make an estimated payment for 2020 since I’m now underpaid?

Will I now also to pay penalty plus interest, when I file for 2020, since I’m now 5 months late on the July 2020 estimated payment? If this can be corrected by having them cancel the check, let me know which number to call. Thanks. J.

[kaneohe]

try 800-829-1040 you might get lucky

[jreality]

I was able to get through (after reading through an article on how to get through to a live person and trying it twice) Was told I could void the back of the check, return it with an explanation and it could be applied to 2020. I was given a Refund Inquiry address to mail it back to so that’s what I did. Thanks.

[kaneohe]

clever and hard work win again!!

grats!

[jreality]

Well, now I’m stressed out, because I’m still waiting for the USPS return receipt to arrive back. The letter wasn’t delivered until 12/31 and the return receipt didn’t show up in tracking until 1/6 but there have been no updates on it since the 8th.

Also I received a 1099 from the IRS (actually a statement) for the interest portion of the check and I can only hope the check did arrive at the correct location (since tracking said it was delivered to a P.O. box even though it was addressed to a street address). I can only hope that they will eventually apply my original payment to 2020 and reverse the interest and issue a corrected statement. Not sure when all this will occur. Would be nice for the return receipt to eventually arrive back.

Looking for reassurance that what I was told when I spoke to the IRS is correct, meaning that the IRS will be able to cancel the check and issue a corrected 1099 indicating I did not receive interest for 2020, and apply the original payment to 2020. I just hope I won’t be told that they can only issue a new refund check or something like that.

• This reply was modified 1 year ago by jreality.
• This reply was modified 1 year ago by jreality.
• This reply was modified 1 year ago by jreality.

[jreality]

Still no acknowledgement from IRS that the check was received/processed. Was told to call back after 10 weeks from date of delivery which is coming up soon. Should I attempt to open up a case with taxpayer advocate if they give me the runaround when I phone in? Concerned because it is a large check.

[jreality]

I made an appointment to go a local IRS office next week and discuss this matter in person. Over the phone, they still say there is nothing in their system about it having been received, but that there are delays due to COVID. When I mention that it has been 10 weeks since it was delivered, and ask how much longer until we conclude this was somehow lost (either because they somehow didn’t receive it, or they lost it internally, or something else went wrong internally and intervention is required), then they have no answer on what the maximum waiting time should be.

Seems very unprofessional to me that 10 weeks can elapse and they can’t acknowledge it was received or not. And they tell me they have no way of contacting the Refund Inquiry department to find out what is going on. Also, when I mention that I was originally told it would take 4 to 6 weeks to process it, and covid was around back then, the rep said “I can’t speak for what someone else told you”

I was told by one rep that meeting with the IRS with a photo copy of the returned check could be helpful, even though another rep (a rude one with an attitude) previously told me that my going in person to discuss this “isn’t going to do anything” Am I wasting my time meeting in person about this? Will they be able to do anything for me, or will I at least be able to leave with a written acknowledgement that I came in person to discuss this matter?

Thanks.

[Author]

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