Help! My Tax Return is Getting Rejected Because SSN or Name Doesn't Match IRS Records

This is actually a pretty common issue, so try not to panic! There are a few things that could be causing this rejection that are easily fixable. First, make sure you're entering your name EXACTLY as it appears on your social security card - including any middle names or initials. The IRS systems are very particular about this matching exactly. If your SS card says "Robert J Smith" but you're filing as "Rob Smith" or "Robert Smith," that could trigger the mismatch. Second, check if there are any special characters in your name (hyphens, apostrophes, spaces) and make sure those are being entered correctly. Some tax software handles these differently. Third, double-check your birth date as well - an incorrect birth date can sometimes trigger this error even though the message only mentions name and SSN. If you've verified all that information and you're still getting rejected, you might need to request your tax records transcript from the IRS website to see exactly how your information is listed in their system. This could reveal if there's a discrepancy you're not aware of.

I had this EXACT same problem last year and it nearly drove me insane! After trying everything, I finally found out what was happening with the help of taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai). Their document analysis caught that my employer had misspelled my name on my W-2 (they added an extra 'n' to my name), which was causing the mismatch when I filed. The system scanned my documents and flagged the discrepancy immediately - something I had completely missed after looking at my forms a dozen times. They actually provide detailed analysis of all your tax documents and identify these kinds of issues before you file. Saved me from having to keep resubmitting and dealing with rejections! You might want to check if there's some small discrepancy between your W-2 and social security card that you're missing. Sometimes it's something super minor that's causing the problem.

Just wanted to update that I tried taxr.ai after commenting here and it actually found the problem right away! My husband's W-2 had his first and middle name combined as one word (no space), while his social security card has a space between them. I've been filing our taxes for years and NEVER noticed this small detail. I contacted his HR department to fix it for future years, but for now we knew exactly what was causing the rejection. I was able to fix how I entered his name in our tax software to match exactly how it appeared on the W-2, and our return was accepted immediately. Such a relief after weeks of frustration and rejected filings!

If you've tried everything and still can't get through, you might want to try Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was in the same boat trying to call the SSA and IRS about a name mismatch issue, but the wait times were impossible with my work schedule. Claimyr basically holds your place in line and calls you when an agent is actually available to talk. You can see a demo of how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I was super skeptical, but after trying to get through to the IRS for literally weeks, I gave it a shot. They got me connected with an IRS agent who confirmed there was a hyphen in my last name in their system (which I didn't have on my actual SS card). The agent helped me figure out the exact format I needed to use when filing. Saved me so much time and frustration!

I need to eat my words and apologize. After being super skeptical about Claimyr in my previous comment, I decided to try it because I was desperate with my own tax issue. I couldn't believe it actually worked exactly as described. I set it up in the morning before work, went about my day, and around 2:30pm I got a call connecting me directly to an IRS representative. No waiting on hold or navigating those awful phone menus! The agent confirmed that my last name was misspelled in their system (they had "Schmit" instead of "Schmidt"). She told me exactly how to file to avoid rejection and how to get the error fixed permanently. Honestly, I've never been happier to be wrong about something. Saved me at least 3 hours of hold time and solved a problem I'd been dealing with for weeks.

Just a quick tip that might help - make sure you're entering your name in ALL CAPS when you file. That's how the IRS system stores names, and sometimes tax software doesn't automatically convert it. I'm a tax preparer and I've seen this cause rejection issues several times.

Has anyone else noticed that the IRS systems seem to be extra glitchy this year? My return got rejected for a similar reason but when I called they said everything was fine on their end and to just resubmit. Did that 3 times before it finally went through with NO CHANGES to my info.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm dealing with the exact same issue right now. My return has been rejected 4 times for name/SSN mismatch and I was starting to think I was losing my mind. I'm going to try a few of the suggestions here - first checking if my W-2 has any subtle differences from my SS card (never would have thought of that!), and then maybe trying the all caps format that Omar mentioned. One thing I wanted to add - I called my tax software company (H&R Block) and they said this is happening A LOT more this year than usual. The rep told me they've had tons of calls about this specific rejection code. She suggested that if nothing else works, I might need to print and mail my return instead of e-filing, which would bypass the electronic name matching entirely. Really hoping I don't have to resort to paper filing since I need my refund ASAP, but at least it's good to know there's a backup option if all else fails!

I've been following this thread and wanted to share what finally worked for me after dealing with the same rejection nightmare for weeks! After trying everything mentioned here (checking W-2 vs SS card, all caps, waiting 48 hours, etc.), I discovered the issue was actually with how my tax software was handling a suffix in my name. My legal name is "Michael Johnson Jr." but my W-2 just had "Michael Johnson" - the software was automatically adding the "Jr." from my profile but my employer didn't include it. The key was to enter my name EXACTLY as it appears on my W-2, even if that's different from my SS card. The IRS matches against what your employer reported, not necessarily what's on your SS card. Once I removed the "Jr." from my filing (matching my W-2 exactly), it went through immediately. So definitely compare ALL your tax documents (W-2s, 1099s, etc.) character by character against what you're entering in your tax software. Sometimes the mismatch isn't with the IRS records directly, but with how your employer reported your information vs. how you're filing. Hope this helps someone avoid the stress I went through!