Accidentally made double payment to IRS - what can I do about the overpayment?

This happens more often than you'd think! The good news is that the IRS will recognize this as an overpayment, but the bad news is they won't automatically stop that scheduled direct debit. If you want to prevent the second payment from processing, you need to contact your bank ASAP to stop the payment - most banks can put a stop payment on scheduled debits if you do it before the transaction processes. If both payments do go through, don't panic. The IRS will eventually process this as an overpayment. You have two options: you can either request a refund by filing Form 8888 "Allocation of Refund" with an explanation, or you can apply the overpayment to next year's estimated taxes which some people actually prefer to do.

I ran into this exact problem last year and found taxr.ai super helpful for tracking down my overpayment. I was going crazy trying to figure out what happened to my second payment and kept getting different answers when calling the IRS. I uploaded my payment receipts to https://taxr.ai and they helped me identify exactly where both payments went in the IRS system and guided me through the refund request process. Saved me so much time and frustration!

Just wanted to update that I actually tried taxr.ai after posting my skeptical comment! My situation was similar - accidentally paid my quarterly estimated taxes twice. The service really was straightforward with no hidden costs. They analyzed both payment confirmations, showed exactly where the money went in the IRS system, and gave me a filled-out form to request the refund. Just got confirmation my refund is being processed - 3 weeks faster than I expected based on previous IRS interactions.

If you're still struggling to get through to the IRS, I had great results using Claimyr last month. I was in the same boat - double payment issue, couldn't get anyone on the phone after trying for days. Found https://claimyr.com and watched their demo at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c and decided to give it a shot. They got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes when I had been waiting hours on my own attempts. The agent was able to confirm they saw both payments and helped me start the refund process right away.

I was completely wrong about Claimyr being a scam! After posting my skeptical comment, I was desperate enough to try it because I had a similar overpayment issue with my quarterly taxes. Not only did it work, but I got through to the IRS in about 35 minutes when I had been trying for days on my own. The agent confirmed both of my payments in their system and helped me request a refund right there on the call. Already got confirmation my check is being mailed next week. Sometimes being proven wrong is a good thing!

Another option that nobody's mentioned - if you have future estimated tax payments due this year, you can request that the IRS apply the overpayment to those instead of waiting for a refund. I did this last year and it was actually processed pretty quickly. Just call and ask for the overpayment to be applied to your next estimated payment. Saved me from having to remember to make that payment later!

Has anyone here ever had the IRS actually keep their overpayment? I accidentally double paid once (about $2,300) and despite numerous calls and a form I sent, they never refunded me. I eventually gave up and just counted it as paying ahead. The whole system is so frustrating!

You're definitely not alone in this - double payments happen more than you'd think! The key thing is to act quickly. If your direct debit is scheduled for Tuesday, call your bank first thing Monday morning to put a stop payment on it. Most banks can do this if you catch it before it processes. If both payments do go through, don't panic. The IRS will eventually recognize it as an overpayment. You have a few options: request a refund (which typically takes 6-8 weeks), apply it to future estimated tax payments if you have any, or even apply it to next year's taxes. Make sure to keep documentation of both payments - screenshot everything, save confirmation numbers, etc. This will be crucial if there are any questions later. And if you do need to contact the IRS, consider using one of the callback services others have mentioned here - waiting on hold for hours is nobody's idea of fun! The good news is that this is fixable, even if it's stressful right now. The IRS deals with overpayments all the time, so you're not stuck with losing that money permanently.

I went through this exact same situation two years ago and it was incredibly stressful! Here's what I learned: definitely try to stop that direct debit through your bank first - that's your best bet to avoid the double charge altogether. If you can't stop it in time, the IRS will process it as an overpayment, but you'll need to be proactive about getting your money back. I found that calling early in the morning (around 7-8 AM) gave me the best chance of getting through to someone without waiting hours. One thing that really helped me was keeping a detailed log of every call I made, including date, time, who I spoke with, and what they told me. The IRS representatives sometimes give conflicting information, so having that record was invaluable when I had to call back. Also, don't be afraid to escalate if you're not getting results. After about 6 weeks of getting nowhere, I asked to speak with a supervisor and that's when things finally started moving. Got my refund about 3 weeks after that call. Hang in there - I know it feels overwhelming right now, but this absolutely can be resolved. The IRS deals with overpayments regularly, so you're not asking them to do anything unusual.

I feel for you - this is such a stressful situation! I actually went through something similar last year when I accidentally set up both electronic withdrawal and mailed a check for the same tax payment. Here's what worked for me: First, definitely call your bank ASAP to stop that scheduled direct debit if possible. Even if it's the weekend, many banks have 24/7 customer service lines that can help with stop payments. If both payments do end up processing, the IRS will recognize it as an overpayment, but you'll need to be proactive. I had success using Form 843 (Claim for Refund and Request for Abatement) rather than Form 8888 that was mentioned earlier - my tax preparer said 843 is specifically designed for situations like this where you've made an erroneous payment. The waiting is definitely the hardest part. In my case, it took about 7 weeks to get the refund check, but I called every 2 weeks to check status which seemed to help keep things moving. Also, if you have a local Taxpayer Assistance Center, they can sometimes help expedite these situations better than the phone lines. Don't lose hope - I know it's scary to have that much money tied up, but the IRS really does handle overpayments routinely. Just document everything and stay persistent!