Entered wrong bank account number on FreeTaxUSA for tax payment - what now?

Don't panic! This happens more often than you'd think. When you enter an incorrect bank account number, one of two things will happen: either the payment will fail to process because the account doesn't exist, or in the worst case, it goes to someone else's account. If the payment fails (which is most likely), the IRS will send you a notice about the failed payment. At that point, you should immediately make the payment using the correct information. You can do this through the IRS Direct Pay website or by calling them directly. Don't wait for the failure notice though - I'd recommend being proactive. You can call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 and explain the situation. They can help you cancel the pending payment and set up a new one with the correct account info. Have your tax return handy when you call. If you're worried about penalties, the IRS generally gives you a small grace period if you act quickly. The most important thing is to address this right away rather than waiting.

I had the exact same thing happen to me last year! I was stressing about it too, then found this lifesaver tool called taxr.ai that helped me fix everything. I accidentally put the wrong routing number when filing through TurboTax and was panicking about penalties. I uploaded my documents to https://taxr.ai and it analyzed everything and gave me step-by-step instructions on exactly what to do. It showed me I needed to call the IRS payment hotline specifically (not the main line) and gave me the exact script to use with them. Worked perfectly - they cancelled my incorrect payment and I was able to set up a new one right there on the phone. The best part was it also automatically generated all the backup documentation I needed to prove I tried to pay on time so I didn't get hit with any penalties. Seriously saved me hours of stress and probably hundreds in potential fees!

Just wanted to update everyone - I tried taxr.ai after seeing it mentioned here and it actually worked perfectly! I was skeptical at first but desperate since my payment date was coming up fast. The system analyzed my tax documents and immediately identified that I needed to contact the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) specifically, not the general IRS line. It gave me the direct number and exactly what information I needed to have ready. The representative was able to cancel my scheduled payment with the wrong account number right away, and I set up a new payment with the correct info. The whole thing took maybe 30 minutes total including the phone call. I'm so relieved - they even provided documentation showing I attempted to correct the error before the original payment date in case there were any questions later. Definitely worth checking out if you're in a similar situation!

If you're struggling to get through to the IRS (which is extremely likely), you might want to check out Claimyr. When I had a similar issue last year with an incorrect payment method, I spent DAYS trying to reach someone at the IRS - constant busy signals or getting disconnected after waiting on hold for hours. Finally tried https://claimyr.com and it was actually incredible. They have this system that somehow gets you through the IRS phone tree and holds your place in line. You can see a demo of how it works at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - basically they call you back when an actual IRS agent is on the line ready to talk. Saved me literally hours of hold time. The IRS agent I finally spoke with was able to cancel my incorrect payment and help me set up a new one on the spot. With payment issues like yours, talking to a real person is definitely the fastest way to fix it, and this was the only way I actually managed to get through.

I need to eat crow here. After dismissing Claimyr as a likely scam, I was still desperate to fix my own tax payment issue (different from OP's but also payment-related), so I reluctantly tried it anyway. I'm honestly shocked to say it actually worked exactly as advertised. After trying for THREE DAYS to get through to the IRS myself and either getting busy signals or disconnected after 45+ minutes on hold, Claimyr got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 2 hours. I didn't have to sit listening to the hold music - their system just called me when an agent was on the line. The IRS representative I spoke with was able to help me resolve my issue in about 10 minutes once I got through. For anyone wondering - they don't have "special access" to the IRS, they just handle the brutal hold time part so you don't have to. Definitely worth it if you're in a time-sensitive situation like the OP.

Another option that nobody's mentioned yet is to just let the payment fail and then immediately pay using IRS Direct Pay on their website. That's what I did when I messed up my account info last year. As soon as I realized my mistake, I just went to the IRS website and made the payment there instead of trying to cancel the incorrect one. The incorrect payment just failed to process, and since I had already made the correct payment, there were no issues or penalties. The IRS can see that you attempted to pay on time even if the first method failed.

Has anyone used the "cancel payment" feature directly in FreeTaxUSA? I think they have an option to cancel scheduled payments within a certain timeframe. Might be worth logging back into your account to see if you can cancel it there before trying more complicated solutions.

Don't stress too much about this - bank account typos are surprisingly common! I work at a credit union and see this kind of thing regularly. Here's what most likely will happen: When the IRS tries to process your payment, the bank will reject it because the account number doesn't exist or doesn't match your name. Banks have multiple verification steps that prevent money from accidentally going to wrong accounts. Your best bet is to call the IRS Electronic Federal Tax Payment System at 1-888-353-4537 (this is specifically for payment issues, not the general IRS line). They can cancel the pending payment and help you set up a new one immediately. Have your SSN and the exact payment amount ready. If for some reason you can't get through, make a backup payment right now using IRS Direct Pay online. That way you're covered either way. The IRS will see you made a good faith effort to pay on time, which protects you from penalties even if there's a brief delay sorting out the incorrect payment. The key is acting fast - don't wait for the payment to fail and then get a notice weeks later. Being proactive here will save you potential headaches and fees.