Just received an unexpected payment from the IRS - different than my tax refunds

That makes sense about the interest payment, but I thought that only applied if you filed on time and the IRS took too long? OP said they filed in February which is well before the April deadline, so would they still get interest? Also, if it was an adjustment wouldn't there be some sort of explanation letter with the payment?

You're right that interest typically applies when the IRS takes longer than 45 days after the filing deadline (usually April 15th). But even with early filing, if the refund gets delayed past that 45-day post-deadline window, interest still accrues. Most adjustments do come with an explanation letter, but sometimes the letter arrives separately from the payment, often a few days later. The OP should definitely be receiving a letter explaining the adjustment soon if they haven't already. If no letter arrives within 2 weeks, I'd recommend calling the IRS or checking their online account to see the reason for the additional payment.

Does it actually work with all tax documents? Like could I use it to figure out why my refund is taking so long this year? I've been waiting for months and the IRS website just says "still processing"...

I'm kinda skeptical of these online tools... How does it actually "know" what's going on with your specific tax situation? Does it have access to IRS systems or something? Sounds a bit too good to be true.

It works with pretty much any tax document - W2s, 1099s, IRS notices, refund status letters, etc. For refund delays, you could upload your return and it'll highlight potential issues that might be causing delays or give you insight on typical processing times for your situation. The system doesn't connect to IRS databases directly. It uses AI to analyze the documents you upload, identifies the relevant tax codes and regulations, and explains what they mean for your specific situation. It's more about translating the complex tax language into something understandable rather than accessing your IRS account. I was skeptical too but was surprised how accurate and helpful the explanations were.

How does that even work? Does the IRS know about this service? Seems kinda sketchy that a third party can somehow get you to the front of the line when the rest of us have to wait for hours.

Sounds like a scam honestly. Why would I pay someone else to call the IRS for me? And how do they actually get through when nobody else can? Do they have some special connection to the IRS or something? I don't buy it.

They don't get you to the front of the line - you keep your place in the actual IRS queue. It's basically an automated system that navigates the IRS phone tree and waits on hold for you, then calls your phone when a human agent is about to answer. The IRS has no idea you're using a service - it's just like you called yourself but without having to listen to the hold music for hours. They don't have any special connection to the IRS. They're just using technology to handle the annoying part (waiting on hold) so you don't have to. It's like having someone stand in line for you at the DMV and text you when it's almost your turn. Nothing sketchy about it - you're still talking directly to the actual IRS yourself, just without the hold time frustration.

I didn't claim any recovery rebate credit that I know of, and I wasn't on unemployment in 2022. I work full-time and just did a standard tax return with some basic deductions for mortgage interest. The payment came with a notice that has a bunch of codes on it that I don't understand. I'm going to check my online account like someone suggested and see if there's more info there.

If the payment came with a notice that has codes, those codes are the key to understanding what happened. Typically, CP12 notices indicate math error corrections, CP49 might be for overpayment adjustments, and CP21C often relates to changes made to your account. Check your online account at irs.gov as that will likely have more details than what's visible on the physical notice. If you look at the top right of the notice, there should be a notice number (CP followed by some numbers) - that will tell you exactly what type of adjustment this is. Most of these unexpected payments are legitimate adjustments in your favor due to calculation errors or tax law changes.

That's actually a good point. A legitimate IRS check will be from the US Treasury, not the "IRS" directly. It should be drawn on the Treasury account. And if you deposit it, wait at least 30 days to make sure it clears properly before spending the money just to be safe.