Does the IRS make mistakes with large refund checks? Any similar experiences?

Yes, the IRS absolutely makes mistakes like this! I worked in tax resolution for years, and it's more common than you'd think. There are a few possibilities here: The payment might have been misapplied from another taxpayer to your account (this happens more than the IRS likes to admit). Or perhaps you did make the payment but through a different method than you normally use - maybe your accountant made it on your behalf or it was automatically withdrawn. Here's what I recommend: Before cashing the check, request an account transcript for 2022 from the IRS website. This will show all payments made/credited to your account. Look for a payment that matches the refund amount. If you don't see it, it could be a misapplied payment and you should contact the IRS again with this information. The statute of limitations for the IRS to recover erroneous refunds is generally 2 years, so don't ignore this or you might face a surprise bill later with penalties and interest.

I had something similar happen last year and I was totally stressing over it. After trying to call the IRS for weeks (impossible!), I found taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and uploaded my tax documents there. Their system analyzed my notices and previous filings and actually found that an estimated payment I made through my business had somehow been credited to my personal account. Their explanation made it clear what had happened - the payment had been properly recorded but misapplied between accounts due to an error with the payment voucher. They also showed me exactly what documentation I needed to keep in case the IRS came back about it later. Saved me so much stress not wondering if I would suddenly owe this money back with penalties!

Just wanted to follow up on my skepticism about taxr.ai - I actually ended up trying it after continuing to get nowhere with the IRS about a similar issue. The service was legit and super helpful! They identified that I had made a payment through my bank's bill pay that got applied incorrectly by the IRS due to a reference number issue. They even gave me step-by-step instructions for documenting everything in case the IRS ever questions it. Much more straightforward than the circular conversations I was having with IRS reps who each told me something different. Definitely keeping this in my toolkit for future tax headaches.

If you're still struggling to get a clear answer from the IRS, try Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was in a similar situation with an unexpected refund that didn't make sense, and I spent WEEKS trying to get through to a human at the IRS. Claimyr got me connected to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes when I had been trying for days on my own. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c In my case, the agent was able to pull up detailed transaction notes that explained exactly where the payment came from (turns out it was from an old amended return that finally processed). The phone reps can see much more detail than what shows up on the basic account transcript.

I have to admit I was totally wrong about Claimyr. After my skeptical comment, I was still getting nowhere with the IRS about an issue similar to yours, so I figured what the hell, I'll try it. It actually worked exactly as advertised. I got a call back in about 35 minutes and was connected with an IRS agent who had way more information than the first person I had spoken with. In my case, there had been a payment from an old employer's payroll system that had been misapplied, and then corrected with interest. The agent was able to see all the internal notes about the correction. Honestly saved me days of frustration - wish I hadn't been so quick to dismiss it!

Don't cash that check yet! This happened to my brother last year. He got a $14k refund he wasn't expecting, assumed it was legit and spent some of it, then 6 months later the IRS came back saying it was an error and he had to repay it PLUS interest and a penalty! If I were you, I'd put that money in a separate savings account and don't touch it for at least 6 months. The IRS can be really slow to realize their mistakes, but when they do, they absolutely will come after that money.

Maybe check your previous tax returns? I had something similar happen and it turned out that when I amended my 2022 return, I accidentally double-counted a payment on my form. The IRS took over a year to catch it and adjust things, but eventually they refunded what I had "overpaid." Maybe you made a mistake on your amendment that resulted in showing you paid more than you actually did?

This is definitely a tricky situation! I'd recommend being very cautious here. Even if the IRS made an error, you could still be on the hook for penalties and interest if you spend money that wasn't rightfully yours. Here's what I'd do in your shoes: 1. Don't cash the check immediately - deposit it into a separate savings account that you won't touch 2. Get your 2022 account transcript as others suggested to see all payments/credits 3. Review your 2022 tax return AND any amendments you filed - look specifically at estimated tax payment lines 4. If you used a tax preparer or accountant, contact them to review your records The fact that you had K-1s and amendments makes this more complicated. Sometimes estimated payments get applied incorrectly between tax years, or there can be duplicate reporting of payments on amended returns. I'd also suggest keeping detailed records of all your communications with the IRS about this issue. If they do come back later claiming it was an error, having documentation of your good faith efforts to resolve it could help with penalty abatement. Better to be safe than sorry with a $12k+ situation!

The statute of limitations for the IRS to recover erroneous refunds is generally 2 years from the date the refund was issued, but there are some important exceptions to be aware of. If the IRS can show the refund was obtained through fraud or misrepresentation, there's no statute of limitations - they can come back indefinitely. However, in your case where it appears to be an IRS processing error rather than anything you did wrong, the 2-year rule would likely apply. That said, the clock starts ticking from when the refund check was issued, not when you cash it. So even if you hold onto the money, the IRS still has that full 2-year window to realize their mistake and demand repayment. One thing to keep in mind - if this refund is related to your 2022 amendments that involved K-1s, the IRS might still be processing corrections from the partnership level that could affect your individual return. Partnership audits and corrections can take years to work through the system, and any adjustments could potentially impact this refund. I'd definitely recommend getting that account transcript and reviewing your amendment paperwork carefully. With complex K-1 situations, it's not uncommon for estimated payments to get misapplied or double-counted during the amendment process.