As someone new to the US tax system, I can understand how confusing this must be! Based on what everyone's shared here, it does sound like your refund amount disappearing from WMR is likely indicating an offset situation. Since you mentioned this is your first time filing in the US, you might not be aware of all potential debts that could trigger an offset - these can include federal student loans (even from before you became a US taxpayer), unpaid state taxes from any state you've lived in, child support, or other federal debts. I'd recommend calling the Treasury Offset Program at 800-304-3107 as Logan suggested - they can tell you immediately if there's an offset and which agency is claiming the debt. This will give you answers much faster than waiting for the mail notice. Don't worry too much though - as Jade mentioned, you'll likely still receive whatever portion of your refund remains after the offset is applied!

Hey Jeremiah! As a fellow community member, I wanted to chime in with some reassurance. What you're experiencing is actually pretty standard when the Treasury Offset Program kicks in. The fact that your name and filing status are still showing means your return was processed correctly - the missing refund amount is just the system's way of indicating they're applying an offset for existing debt. Since you mentioned you're new to filing in the US, you might not realize that even old debts from before you became a regular taxpayer can trigger these offsets. The good news is that if your original refund was larger than the debt, you'll still get the difference! I'd definitely call that Treasury Offset number (800-304-3107) that others mentioned - they can give you the full picture immediately rather than waiting weeks for a letter. Don't stress too much about it - this happens to tons of people and doesn't reflect poorly on your tax filing at all.

When I had this happen in 2023, I discovered that my local Taxpayer Advocate Service office was super helpful. They could see that my direct deposit was rejected before the Where's My Refund tool updated. Might be worth contacting them!

I went through this exact same situation two years ago with Chase Bank. Here's what actually happened in my case: The IRS sent my refund on a Friday, Chase rejected it the following Tuesday because I had transposed two digits in my account number. It took exactly 3 weeks from the original deposit date for the IRS to mail me a paper check. The frustrating part is that "Where's My Refund" didn't update until about 2 weeks after the rejection - it kept showing "sent to your bank" the whole time. When it finally updated, it showed "Your refund check was mailed on [date]" and I received it about 5 days later. One thing that helped me was setting up Informed Delivery with USPS so I could see when mail was coming. The refund check envelope is pretty distinctive - it's a Treasury check with clear government markings, so you won't miss it. Since you're only at the one-week mark, I'd give it another week or two before panicking. The process is slow but it does work automatically once the bank rejects the deposit.

I've been helping people with tax issues for about 8 years now, and unfortunately, this TurboTax check problem seems to be happening to quite a few people this year. In my experience, the fastest solution is probably to deposit the check at your primary bank (not a check cashing place), and perhaps talk to a manager about reducing the hold time since it's a tax refund check. It might also be worth considering that sometimes these problems occur when there's a mismatch between the name on your tax return and the name on your bank account, which can cause direct deposits to be rejected and converted to checks. Just something to possibly check for next year.

This is exactly why I've been telling people to avoid TurboTax this year! I'm a tax preparer and I've seen at least 15 clients come to me with this exact same issue - the mysterious check number 100001 that banks won't cash. What's really frustrating is that TurboTax isn't being transparent about this problem. They're calling it a "small percentage" but from what I'm seeing, it's affecting way more people than they're admitting. The worst part is that families who need their refunds for rent, groceries, or other essentials are getting screwed over by a company that's supposed to make tax filing easier, not harder. I've been recommending clients file amended returns to get direct deposit set up properly, but that's another 8-12 week wait. Absolutely ridiculous that a major tax software company can't handle basic payment processing in 2025.

Is this a final estate tax return or ongoing? Because if it's the final one, you might want to spend the extra money just to make sure everything is perfect. The last thing you want is the IRS coming back with questions after you've closed everything out.

I went through this exact situation with my dad's estate two years ago and ended up going with FreeTaxUSA after comparing several options. At around $90, it was definitely cheaper than TaxAct's $139.99, and their estate tax module handled the 1041, Schedule D, and 8949 without any issues. One thing I learned is that if this is a simple estate (under $600 in income), you might not even need to file Form 1041 at all - double check the filing requirements first. But if you do need to file, I'd honestly recommend spending the money for e-filing rather than mailing paper forms. The processing is faster, you get confirmation it was received, and if there are any errors, you'll find out much sooner. Also, make sure you're taking advantage of any available deductions for administration expenses - those can significantly reduce the estate's tax liability and make the filing fee worth it in the long run.

Something important that hasn't been mentioned yet: If you agree with the IRS's findings on the 4800C, you typically have payment options. You can pay in full immediately, set up an installment agreement, or potentially qualify for an Offer in Compromise if you can't pay the full amount. The key is to respond within the timeframe they specify (usually 30 days) even if you can't pay right away. Ignoring the notice will only result in additional interest and potential penalties. Also, keep in mind that if you disagree, the burden of proof is on you to show why the IRS determination is incorrect.

Hey Andre! I totally understand your panic - I had the same reaction when I got my first 4800C notice! 😅 The good news is that everyone here has given you excellent advice. Since you mentioned you sold stocks this year and tried doing your own taxes, there's a very high chance this is related to those stock transactions. Here's what probably happened: When you sold your stocks, your broker reported the sale proceeds to the IRS on a 1099-B form. But sometimes the cost basis (what you originally paid for the stocks) isn't reported correctly or at all. So the IRS thinks you made more profit than you actually did. Before you do anything else, grab your original tax return and compare it line by line with what the IRS is showing on the notice. Look specifically at Schedule D if you reported capital gains. The discrepancy might be obvious once you see them side by side. Also, definitely keep all your brokerage statements and purchase records handy - you'll likely need them to prove your actual cost basis if you disagree with their calculations. Don't let the tax jargon intimidate you - you've got this! 💪