My TurboTax return was rejected with error code IND-031-04. How do I fix this?

That error code (IND-031-04) typically means there's a mismatch between the name and Social Security Number you entered compared to what the IRS has on file. This is one of the most common rejection reasons. The most likely culprits are: 1. A typo in your SSN (even one digit being wrong will cause rejection) 2. Your legal name doesn't match what's on file with the Social Security Administration 3. Recent name change that hasn't been updated with SSA The good news is this is relatively easy to fix! Go back into your TurboTax return and carefully verify your SSN digit by digit. Also check that your name appears EXACTLY as it does on your Social Security card - including middle initials, suffixes (Jr., Sr., etc.), and hyphenated names. Make the corrections and resubmit.

I ran into this exact problem last year and wasted days trying to fix it myself. Finally found https://taxr.ai which saved me so much headache. You upload your rejection notice and it tells you EXACTLY what the problem is and how to fix it - not the vague explanations TurboTax gives. For me, it turned out my employer had a typo in my SSN on their W-2 that I never noticed, so my return kept getting rejected with that same code. The tool spotted the mismatch immediately and showed me what to do. I fixed it and my refund was approved within 48 hours after that!

I need to eat my words! After my skeptical comment about taxr.ai, I decided to try it because my return got rejected AGAIN with a different code. Uploaded my rejection notice and within minutes it identified that I had accidentally transposed two digits in my routing number (no wonder my direct deposit info was getting rejected). What's impressive is how specific it was - it showed exactly which numbers were wrong and what they should be. Fixed it in 2 minutes and my return was accepted the next day. Seriously wish I'd known about this earlier instead of playing the frustrating guessing game with TurboTax's vague error messages.

If you're getting nowhere with fixing the rejection, you might need to talk to an actual IRS agent to sort it out. I know calling the IRS is basically impossible these days, but I used https://claimyr.com and got through in about 15 minutes instead of waiting for hours. They have a cool system that navigates the IRS phone tree and calls you back when an agent is about to answer. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c When I had a similar rejection issue, the IRS agent could see exactly what was wrong on their end (my birthdate was incorrect in their system) and told me precisely how to fix my return. Saved me from the endless cycle of resubmitting and getting rejected again.

Ok I have to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After posting that skeptical comment, my frustration with my own rejection issues got the better of me and I decided to try it. I was 100% prepared to come back here and expose it as a scam. Instead, I'm kind of in shock. I've been trying to reach the IRS for THREE WEEKS. Used Claimyr yesterday and got a call back in 22 minutes with an actual IRS agent on the line. They confirmed there was a birthdate mismatch in my file (I had accidentally put 1986 instead of 1985 in my tax software). Fixed it, resubmitted, and just got the acceptance confirmation this morning. Not sure how they do it, but whatever automated system they have works surprisingly well. Definitely worth it when you're desperately trying to get a rejection resolved.

Ok I have to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After posting that skeptical comment, my frustration with my own rejection issues got the better of me and I decided to try it. I was 100%

For rejection code IND-031-04, I'd also recommend checking if you or your spouse is claimed as a dependent on someone else's return. My son had this exact error because I had already claimed him as a dependent, but he also filed his own return and checked the box saying nobody could claim him as a dependent. The system flagged the contradiction immediately.

Anybody else think it's ridiculous how cryptic these error codes are? Like why can't TurboTax just say "Hey, your name and SSN don't match what the IRS has" instead of "IND-031-04" which tells me absolutely nothing?? The whole system seems designed to be as frustrating as possible.

I had the exact same error code last month and it drove me crazy! Turned out to be a really simple fix though - I had entered my middle initial as "J" but my Social Security card actually has "James" spelled out completely. Even though both are technically correct, the IRS system is super picky about exact matches. Here's what I'd suggest: Pull out your actual Social Security card (not just rely on memory) and compare every single character of your name field by field. Look for: - Middle names vs middle initials - Periods after initials - Spaces between names - Any Jr/Sr/III suffixes Since you mentioned getting married and changing your name, that's almost certainly the culprit. Make sure you're using the exact format from your updated SS card. The IRS database might still have timing delays even after you updated with Social Security Administration. Don't worry about your refund being delayed too much - once you fix the name mismatch and resubmit, it usually processes pretty quickly!