E-filing rejected - IRS says Spouse's 2021 AGI is incorrect despite filing Jointly; Transcript shows correct amount. Help needed!

This is actually a common issue with the e-file verification system when there's been a change in filing status or identification numbers. The IRS verification system sometimes struggles with these transitions. When you file jointly, the IRS stores separate verification data for each spouse, even though there's only one AGI. For verification purposes, they associate the full joint AGI with each spouse individually in their database. Try these steps: 1. Enter your full joint AGI from 2021 in both spots if your software allows it 2. If that fails, try entering "0" for both you and your spouse 3. If that still doesn't work, you can request an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) from the IRS website, which will bypass the AGI verification The reason you're getting conflicting rejection messages is that the system is checking each spouse separately against the same joint AGI. When you change one value, it might pass for that spouse but fail for the other.

After dealing with a similar nightmare last year, I started using https://taxr.ai to analyze all my tax documents and verification issues. It saved me so much time by identifying exactly what was causing my e-file rejection. In your case, it sounds like the classic spouse verification error. The tool could confirm whether it's actually an AGI mismatch or potentially something else entirely - sometimes these error messages are misleading. I uploaded my rejection code and transcript, and it pinpointed that my wife's name format in the IRS database didn't match what we were submitting (she uses her middle initial sometimes), not the AGI like the error claimed.

I was skeptical about trying another service after my frustrating experience with e-file rejections, but I gave https://taxr.ai a shot after seeing it recommended here. Completely worth it! My situation was similar - kept getting rejected for AGI issues even though I had the transcript showing the correct amount. Turns out my spouse's name format in the IRS database had a hyphen I wasn't including in our filing. The rejection code said it was an AGI problem, but taxr.ai identified the actual name format issue by analyzing the full rejection details. Fixed it in 5 minutes and our return was accepted right away. Saved me from having to mail in our return and wait months for processing. Definitely recommend for anyone dealing with these confusing rejection messages.

Have you tried calling the IRS directly? I was in a similar situation last year with identity verification issues that kept rejecting my e-file. After trying for weeks, I used https://claimyr.com to get through to an actual IRS agent. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c They hold your place in the IRS phone queue and call you when an agent picks up. I was seriously doubtful, but I was connected to an IRS rep within an hour after spending days trying on my own. The agent was able to see exactly what was causing my rejection and fixed it on their end so I could e-file. Saved me from having to mail in my return again.

I have to eat my words about Claimyr being fake. After continuing to get nowhere with my e-file rejections, I tried https://claimyr.com out of desperation. It worked exactly as described - got a call back when an IRS agent was on the line (took about 90 minutes). The agent checked both my and my wife's records and found that when she got her SSN, her name was entered with her middle initial, but our tax return didn't include it. That tiny difference was causing the AGI verification to fail, even though the error message was completely misleading about the actual problem. The agent noted the correct information in our file and told me to try e-filing again the next day, which worked perfectly. I would have been paper filing for the fifth year in a row without this. Definitely worth it just to avoid the 6-month paper processing wait.

If nothing else works, there's a little-known option: you can use Form 8453 as a workaround. You e-file your return without the AGI verification (some software lets you override or bypass) and then mail in Form 8453 with a copy of your ID and previous year's tax return as verification. This way you get the speed of e-filing but provide paper verification. Saved me last year when I had a similar spouse SSN/name issue.

Has anyone checked if this might be related to the IRS's new verification requirements for 2023? They changed how they handle joint filers with ITINs and SSNs.

This ITIN-to-SSN transition issue is exactly what happened to us! My wife got her SSN in 2021 after having an ITIN, and we've been dealing with these verification problems ever since. I just called the ITIN unit at 1-800-908-9982 that Jessica mentioned, and they were able to see both numbers in their system but confirmed they weren't properly linked for e-file verification. The representative said this is becoming a huge issue this year because of the new verification requirements. They can update your records over the phone to link the ITIN and SSN, but it takes 2-3 business days to reflect in the e-file system. Much faster than waiting for an IP PIN or mailing everything in again. For anyone else with this issue - have your spouse's ITIN, SSN, and a copy of the year you first filed with the SSN ready when you call. They need to verify the transition happened legitimately.