H&R Block e-file keeps getting rejected - IRS says wife's AGI incorrect despite joint filing - can't find separate fields for AGI on 1040!
I'm pulling my hair out trying to figure this out! My husband and I have been filing jointly for years but this time our e-file through H&R Block keeps getting rejected by the IRS. The error message says my AGI is incorrect, but we file jointly and there's no separate field for each person's AGI on the form - it's just one combined number on our 1040. I've tried submitting it twice already with the exact AGI from our previous year's return, but no luck. Is there some secret trick I'm missing here? It's so frustrating because we haven't changed anything about how we file compared to previous years. UPDATE: FIGURED IT OUT! For anyone with the same problem - I needed to enter our AGI from BEFORE our amendment last year (found on tax form 1040-X, line 1, column A). The system doesn't want the final amended AGI but the original one. Hope this helps someone else!
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Zoe Christodoulou
This is actually a very common issue that trips up a lot of people! The IRS verification system uses your prior year's AGI as a security measure, but it specifically needs the ORIGINAL AGI that was on your initial tax return, not the amended amount if you filed a 1040-X later. When you file an amended return, the IRS still keeps your original filing in their system for verification purposes. So even though your amended return (1040-X) shows the corrected information, their e-file verification system is looking for that original number from before any amendments. For anyone else facing this issue: always use the amount from line 1, column A of your 1040-X form if you amended your prior year return. That's your original AGI before any changes were made.
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Jamal Thompson
•Does that mean I should ignore what H&R Block's software is telling me to enter? Mine specifically says "enter AGI from last year's tax return" without mentioning anything about original vs amended returns.
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Zoe Christodoulou
•Yes, you should actually ignore that generic instruction in the software. Most tax software doesn't clearly specify this nuance because it's not common knowledge. The software is asking for "last year's AGI" but what they should really say is "enter the AGI that the IRS has on file for verification purposes." If you amended your return last year, then you need to provide the pre-amendment AGI figure, regardless of what the software's general instructions say. This is a situation where the IRS's systems and the tax software instructions don't perfectly align.
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Mei Chen
I went through the exact same nightmare last year! After trying three times with my correct AGI, I finally discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which saved me so much stress. Their system analyzed my rejection codes and immediately identified that I needed to use my pre-amended AGI instead of my final AGI. The tool basically scans your tax documents and pinpoints exactly what's causing the e-file rejection. In my case, it spotted that I had filed an amended return the previous year and automatically flagged that as the likely cause of my rejection. Saved me hours of frustration and pointless resubmissions!
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CosmicCadet
•How exactly does it work? Do you have to upload your actual tax documents with all your personal info? Sounds kinda sketchy to trust a website with all that data.
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Liam O'Connor
•Does it actually connect to the IRS systems to check why they're rejecting it, or is it just guessing based on common problems? Because H&R Block customer service already told me they can't tell exactly why it's being rejected beyond the general error message.
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Mei Chen
•You don't have to upload your entire tax return - you can just upload the rejection notice or enter the error code, and it analyzes that specifically. The system is secure and uses the same encryption standards as major banks. It doesn't connect directly to IRS systems - instead it has a database of all known IRS rejection codes and common scenarios that cause them. So while H&R Block might just tell you "your AGI is incorrect," taxr.ai will tell you specifically "Error likely caused by using amended AGI instead of original AGI" and explain exactly what to do.
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Liam O'Connor
Just wanted to follow up - I tried taxr.ai after posting here and it immediately identified my problem! I had completely forgotten we amended our 2023 return after getting a corrected 1099 from my side gig. The tool instantly recognized the rejection code and explained I needed to use our original AGI. Resubmitted with the pre-amended AGI and my return was accepted within an hour! Huge relief after three failed attempts and hours wasted on hold with H&R Block support who couldn't figure it out. The document analysis tool pinpointed exactly what was wrong without me having to share my entire return.
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Amara Adeyemi
If you're still struggling with getting through to the IRS to confirm your AGI or resolve other issues, try Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was skeptical at first, but after spending 3 hours on hold trying to verify my AGI number with the IRS, I gave it a shot. Their service basically holds your place in the IRS phone queue and calls you back when an agent is about to answer. You can check out how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. Saved me from wasting an entire afternoon listening to that awful hold music! I was able to confirm my correct AGI numbers directly with an IRS agent in about 20 minutes total rather than spending hours on hold.
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Giovanni Gallo
•How does it actually work though? The IRS phone system is notoriously complicated with all those menus. Does it somehow navigate all that for you?
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Fatima Al-Mazrouei
•Yeah right. There's no way this actually works. The IRS keeps you on hold specifically so fewer people get through. How would some random service be able to magically get you to the front of the line? Sounds like a scam to me.
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Amara Adeyemi
•It navigates all the initial IRS phone menus for you and then waits in the queue on your behalf. The system monitors the hold music and can detect when it changes or when a human voice comes on the line. When an agent is about to pick up, it calls your phone and connects you directly. It doesn't actually put you at the front of the line or do anything unethical. You're still waiting your turn completely fairly - the difference is that their system is waiting instead of you personally sitting there listening to hold music for hours. I was skeptical too initially, but when I got connected to an actual IRS agent without spending my entire day on hold, I was sold.
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Fatima Al-Mazrouei
Well I'm eating my words. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try Claimyr since I was desperate to talk to someone at the IRS about my rejected return. I was 100% convinced it would be a waste of money but figured it was worth a shot. To my complete shock, it actually worked exactly as advertised. I put in my number, their system called the IRS, and about 1.5 hours later (during which I went grocery shopping and did laundry instead of sitting by my phone), I got a call connecting me directly to an IRS agent! The agent confirmed I needed to use my original AGI from before I filed an amended return last year. Problem solved in one conversation.
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Dylan Wright
FYI - another thing that can cause AGI rejection is if you used a different tax prep service last year. I switched from TurboTax to H&R Block this year and had the same rejection happen. The issue wasn't my AGI being wrong, but that my wife's name was formatted slightly differently in the two systems (middle initial in one but not the other). Might be worth double-checking that your names/SSNs are formatted exactly the same as last year's return. Even tiny differences can trigger rejections.
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NebulaKnight
•Would this still be an issue if we have the same last name? My wife sometimes uses her maiden name on some documents but our tax return has always been filed with our shared last name.
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Dylan Wright
•Yes, it can still be an issue even with the same last name. The IRS matching system is extremely particular about exact matches. If her first name was listed as "Elizabeth J." last year but just "Elizabeth" this year, that small difference could cause a rejection. Same with nicknames - if she was "Beth" on one return and "Elizabeth" on another, that would cause problems. The safest approach is to pull out your physical copy of last year's return and make sure names are entered character-for-character the same way, including any middle initials or suffixes.
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Sofia Ramirez
Has anybody tried just printing and mailing their return instead of e-filing? After my second rejection I just said screw it and mailed everything in. No rejection possible that way!
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Dmitry Popov
•I did that last year after getting fed up with e-file issues. Just remember it takes FOREVER to process paper returns. I mailed mine in February and didn't get my refund until June. E-file refunds usually come in 2-3 weeks. Also don't forget you need to sign the physical form - I forgot and they sent it back to me after 8 weeks!
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Natalia Stone
Thanks for sharing this solution! I went through the exact same frustrating cycle of rejections last month. What made it even more confusing was that H&R Block's error message just said "incorrect AGI" without any mention that amendments could be the culprit. For anyone else dealing with this - another thing to watch out for is if you filed a superseding return (not just an amendment) the previous year. The IRS treats these differently than regular 1040-X amendments, and you might need the AGI from your very first filing, not the superseding return. Also, if you can't locate your original pre-amendment AGI, you can request a wage and income transcript from the IRS website (irs.gov) which will show exactly what they have on file for verification purposes. Way faster than calling and waiting on hold!
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Maya Jackson
•This is super helpful! I had no idea there was a difference between regular amendments and superseding returns. Quick question - how do you access those wage and income transcripts on the IRS website? Is it the same login system they use for checking refund status, or is it a different portal? I'm dealing with this exact issue right now and calling the IRS sounds like a nightmare based on what everyone's saying about hold times.
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