E-filing rejected because IRS says my 2019 AGI is wrong - but I checked and it's correct!

This is actually a pretty common issue, especially this filing season! Don't worry, there are a few things that might be happening. First, make sure you're using the AGI from the return you actually filed in 2019, not just what you calculated. If you made amendments or if the IRS made adjustments after processing, those could change your AGI from what's on your copy. Also, if you didn't file electronically in 2019, you might need to enter "0" as your prior year AGI. Some tax software and the IRS system use this as a verification method when there's no electronic AGI on file. Another possibility is that you filed late in 2020 (for your 2019 taxes) due to COVID extensions, and your return might still have been processing when the verification database was updated. Have you tried calling the IRS directly? They can verify your AGI for e-filing purposes.

I had literally the exact same problem two weeks ago! So frustrating! After trying everything possible, I found this service called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that helped me solve it. They have this document analyzer tool that actually found a discrepancy between what I thought was on my 2019 return and what the IRS actually had on file. Turns out there was a math error adjustment the IRS made after I filed that changed my AGI by like $230, and I never even got notified about it. The taxr.ai tool compared my filed return with what the IRS database showed and found the difference. I was able to use the corrected AGI and my return went through immediately!

I feel like I need to update my earlier comment about taxr.ai being sketchy. I actually tried it after continuing to have problems with my e-filing getting rejected. The service really did help identify the issue! In my case, it turned out I had accidentally transposed two numbers in what I thought was my 2019 AGI (I was looking at $45,871 but had filed $45,781). Such a small difference, but it was causing all my rejections. Their document analysis tool caught it right away and highlighted the discrepancy. My return went through on the first try after that. Just wanted to share in case others are dealing with the same headache!

If you've tried all the AGI tricks and nothing works, you might just need to talk to a real person at the IRS. Good luck getting through though - I spent 3 hours on hold last week! I finally started using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) - they have this service that basically calls the IRS for you and holds your place in line. When they reach an agent, they call you so you don't waste hours on hold. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I was super skeptical but it actually got me through to someone at the IRS who could verify my AGI over the phone. The agent confirmed there was a discrepancy and gave me the correct number to use. Fixed my problem in minutes once I actually got through.

OK I'm literally blown away right now. After posting my skeptical comment about Claimyr yesterday, I decided to try it this morning because I was STILL having AGI issues with my e-filing. I am not kidding when I tell you I've been trying to call the IRS for THREE WEEKS with no luck. Used Claimyr today and got through to an IRS agent in 47 minutes without having to sit there listening to that awful hold music. The agent confirmed there was a "processing adjustment" made to my 2019 return that changed my AGI by $1,246. No wonder my e-file kept getting rejected! They gave me the correct number to use, and my return just went through successfully. Totally worth it for the time saved and the stress reduction. Sometimes you have to admit when you're wrong - this service actually delivers.

Another thing to try - if you created an online account on the IRS website, you can actually view your processed tax transcripts from previous years. The transcript will show your official AGI as processed by the IRS, which might be different from what's on your copy of the return. Go to irs.gov and search for "Get Transcript Online" - you'll need to create an account if you don't have one already. It's a bit of a process to verify your identity, but once you're in, you can see exactly what the IRS has on file.

Has anyone tried just mailing in their return instead? I know it takes longer to process but at least you don't have to deal with all these e-file rejections and verification problems.