Got CP32A notice about uncashed stimulus check - can't reach IRS by phone - what are my options?

The CP32A notice is specifically about uncashed or undelivered stimulus payments, so you're right about why you received it. Since you've already claimed the Recovery Rebate Credit on your tax return, you have two options: First, keep trying the phone number on the notice. The best times to call are early in the morning right when they open (typically 7am local time) or late in the day but not right before closing. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays usually have shorter wait times than Mondays or Fridays. Second, you could wait for your tax return processing to complete. However, there's a good chance the IRS systems will flag a discrepancy since their records show they issued you a payment (even though it was never cashed), but you've claimed it as not received. This might trigger an adjustment to your return or further delays. I'd recommend making contact with them to resolve this specific issue rather than waiting. The CP32A is actually an opportunity to get your payment reissued without going through additional hoops.

After dealing with a similar notice about an uncashed stimulus check, I tried for weeks to reach someone at the IRS with no luck. Then I found this service called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that helped me understand my notice and options. It's like having a tax expert in your pocket - I just uploaded a photo of my CP32A and got personalized guidance on what to do. The tool explained that I needed to talk to a specific department and gave me the exact steps to resolve my situation, including how to properly request a payment trace. I learned that my approach of claiming the Recovery Rebate Credit might cause complications if I didn't handle the uncashed check issue separately. Their document analysis was surprisingly detailed - it even pointed out sections of the notice I'd completely misunderstood.

I need to follow up on my skeptical comment about taxr.ai. I decided to try it with my own CP32A notice and was honestly surprised by how helpful it was. The service immediately recognized my notice type and explained that I needed to request a payment trace specifically (Form 3911) rather than just calling the general number repeatedly. Following their guidance, I submitted the proper documentation and received confirmation that my payment is being reissued within 2 weeks. They even warned me about potential complications with my already-filed tax return and suggested how to handle the situation if my refund gets adjusted. Definitely more useful than the generic advice I found elsewhere online.

After reading this thread, I wanted to share that I had a nearly identical situation with an uncashed stimulus check. I tried for WEEKS to get through to someone at the IRS using their regular numbers. Complete waste of time. Then I discovered Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) which actually got me connected to a real IRS agent in about 20 minutes. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - basically they navigate the phone system and hold in line for you, then call you once they have an agent on the line. I was super frustrated after weeks of trying, but with Claimyr I got my issue resolved in one call. The IRS agent was able to see both that I had an uncashed check AND that I'd claimed the Recovery Rebate Credit, and they helped sort out the whole mess.

I have to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr in my previous comment. After struggling for DAYS with the IRS phone system and getting absolutely nowhere with my CP32A notice, I finally gave in and tried it yesterday. I was honestly shocked when I got a call back about 25 minutes later with an actual IRS agent on the line. The agent was able to see both my uncashed stimulus payment and my tax return where I claimed the Recovery Rebate Credit. They put a hold on processing my return while they reissue the original payment, which prevents me from potentially having issues down the road with duplicate payments. For anyone in this situation - don't waste weeks like I did. I went from thinking "this can't possibly work" to having my issue completely resolved in less than an hour.

You might also want to check if there's a Taxpayer Advocate Service office near you. They can sometimes help with these situations, especially if you're experiencing a financial hardship because of the delay. I had a similar issue last year and the TAS office in my city was able to help move things along.

Has anyone else noticed that the IRS seems to be sending these CP32A notices out really late? I got one for a stimulus check from over a year ago. I had already claimed it on my taxes as never received, and now suddenly they're telling me it was issued but not cashed?? The whole system is so messed up.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now. Got my CP32A notice last week for the first stimulus payment that I never received. Like you, I already claimed both payments as Recovery Rebate Credits on my tax return since I never got the actual checks. One thing I learned from calling the IRS multiple times (and finally getting through after about 30 attempts) is that you should NOT ignore the CP32A notice. The agent told me that even though I claimed the RRC, their system still shows the original payment as "issued" until they complete a payment trace. This can definitely cause delays or adjustments to your refund. The agent also mentioned that if you don't respond to the CP32A within 60 days, they assume you received the payment and will adjust your tax return to remove the Recovery Rebate Credit. So you'd end up getting neither the original check nor the credit. My advice: keep trying the phone number on the notice, but also consider filling out Form 3911 (Request for Refund of Overpayment) which you can mail or fax. It's basically a formal way to request a payment trace without having to get through on the phone. The form is available on the IRS website and might be faster than waiting on hold for hours.

I went through almost the exact same situation a few months ago! Got my CP32A notice for the first stimulus payment that I had already claimed as a Recovery Rebate Credit on my tax return. After reading through all these responses, I want to add that the Form 3911 route mentioned by Felix is actually really effective if you can't get through by phone. I mailed mine in and got confirmation within about 3 weeks that they were processing the payment trace. The whole process took about 6-8 weeks from start to finish. One thing to be aware of - they will likely put a hold on your current tax return processing while they sort out the stimulus payment issue. This happened to me and delayed my refund by about 2 months, but at least I got both my refund and the reissued stimulus payment eventually. Also, make sure to keep copies of everything - the CP32A notice, any forms you submit, and documentation showing you claimed the Recovery Rebate Credit on your return. The IRS systems don't always communicate well between departments, so having your own paper trail helps if you need to call again later. Don't give up! It's frustrating but definitely resolvable. The key is responding to the notice within that 60-day window that Felix mentioned.

I'm going through something very similar right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I received my CP32A notice about three weeks ago for the first stimulus payment. Like many of you, I had already claimed it as a Recovery Rebate Credit on my tax return since I never received the original check. After reading all these responses, I decided to try multiple approaches. I've been calling the number on the CP32A notice every morning around 7am (thanks for that tip, Freya!), but so far no luck getting through. I also downloaded Form 3911 and I'm planning to mail it this week as a backup plan. One thing I wanted to add that I learned from my tax preparer - if you're working with a tax professional, make sure to let them know about the CP32A notice. They can help coordinate with the IRS if your return gets flagged or adjusted because of the stimulus payment discrepancy. My preparer said they've seen several clients this year dealing with these late CP32A notices. For anyone else in this situation, I found it helpful to create a simple log of all my phone call attempts, including dates, times, and how long I waited before getting disconnected. If I end up needing to escalate this to the Taxpayer Advocate Service, having that documentation might be useful to show I made good faith efforts to resolve it through normal channels. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's reassuring to know this is a solvable problem even if it's frustrating!

I've been following this thread closely because I'm dealing with the exact same CP32A situation. What really strikes me is how many of us are in this boat - it seems like the IRS sent out a massive batch of these notices all at once for stimulus payments that were issued months or even over a year ago. One thing I wanted to add that hasn't been mentioned yet - if you're planning to use Form 3911, make sure you select the correct reason code. There's a specific box for "Economic Impact Payment" that's different from regular tax refunds. I initially filled it out wrong and had to resubmit, which cost me an extra few weeks. Also, for anyone considering the third-party services mentioned in this thread, I'd suggest trying the free options first (Form 3911, TAS, persistent phone calling) before paying for help. The IRS will eventually sort this out, it's just a matter of patience and persistence. The most frustrating part about all this is that we're essentially being penalized for the IRS's own system failures. We did everything right by claiming the Recovery Rebate Credit when we didn't receive our payments, and now we're stuck in bureaucratic limbo trying to prove we never got money that was supposedly sent to us. Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences - it's been really helpful to know what to expect!

I'm in the exact same situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I received my CP32A notice two weeks ago for the first stimulus payment that I never received and already claimed as a Recovery Rebate Credit on my tax return. After reading everyone's experiences, I've decided to pursue multiple strategies simultaneously. I'm doing the early morning phone calls (thanks for the 7:01am tip, Oliver!), and I've also prepared Form 3911 with the correct "Economic Impact Payment" reason code as Mikayla mentioned. One thing I wanted to add - I called my local IRS office directly instead of the national number, and while they couldn't handle the CP32A issue specifically, they were able to confirm that my tax return is currently on hold pending resolution of this stimulus payment discrepancy. At least now I know why my refund status hasn't updated in weeks. The representative suggested that I might also be able to visit a local Taxpayer Assistance Center in person if the phone and mail routes don't work out. They require appointments, but she said they can sometimes resolve these payment trace issues more quickly than the mail-in process. Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences and strategies. It's reassuring to know this is resolvable, even if it requires persistence and patience!