My tax return got rejected due to error with spouse's SSN - how to fix?

This is a fairly common issue that can happen for several reasons, so don't worry too much! The most likely explanation is a mismatch between your spouse's name/SSN as entered on your return and what the Social Security Administration has in their records. Even though you've checked against the physical Social Security card, there could be discrepancies in the SSA database. Sometimes this happens when someone has changed their name (after marriage, for example) but didn't notify the SSA. The IRS verifies the name/SSN combinations against the SSA records during processing. Another possibility is a simple typo or transposition error when entering the information. Even one digit being off will cause a rejection. I'd recommend calling the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 to verify how your spouse's name and SSN appear in their system. Once you confirm that, you can correct your return and resubmit. Don't create a new return - just correct the existing one and resubmit.

Had a similar issue last year and wasted weeks trying to figure it out! Found this service called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that saved me tons of time. It analyzes rejection codes and tax documents to pinpoint exactly what's wrong. For me, it turned out my wife's name was in SSA records with her middle initial but I'd filed without it. Their system quickly spotted the mismatch and gave me specific instructions on how to fix it. Super helpful because the IRS rejection notices are often vague. They also have document checkers that can scan your forms before you file to catch these issues ahead of time.

Just wanted to update - I tried taxr.ai after posting my question here and it actually identified my dependent issue immediately! Turns out I had my daughter's SSN correct but there was a birthdate mismatch with what the IRS had on file. The service showed exactly what needed to be fixed and my return was accepted on the second submission. Wish I'd known about this sooner!

If you need to talk to someone at the IRS about this (which might be necessary if it's a complex issue), try Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was skeptical at first but after spending 3 days trying to get through to the IRS directly, I tried their service. They have this system that navigates all those IRS phone menus and holds your place in line, then calls you back when an actual human at the IRS is ready to talk. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c For my spouse's SSN issue, I needed to speak directly with an IRS agent to clear things up. The rejection was happening because my wife's immigration status had changed but wasn't properly updated in their system. Regular resubmission wouldn't have fixed it.

I owe you guys a huge apology. After calling Claimyr a scam, I decided to try it myself as I was desperate to resolve my own tax issue. I was absolutely blown away when they actually called me back with an IRS agent on the line about 3 hours later. I had been trying for WEEKS to reach someone. The agent fixed my spouse's SSN mismatch issue in literally 5 minutes. Turns out there was a hyphen in my wife's last name in their system that wasn't on her Social Security card. Such a simple fix that would have been impossible without actually talking to someone. My amended return has already been accepted. Definitely worth it for the time saved!

Have you checked if your spouse has an ITIN instead of an SSN? My husband is not a US citizen and we made this mistake our first year filing together. The rejection happens because you can't use an ITIN in place of an SSN for certain tax credits and filing statuses.

Did your spouse by any chance file their taxes separately before you submitted your joint return? I had this happen to me and it was because my husband had already filed his taxes separately (without telling me!) before I tried to submit our joint return. The system rejected our joint return because his SSN had already been used.

Just a tip - after you fix this issue and before you resubmit, check ALL of your information again carefully. I had a similar rejection and when I was fixing it, I discovered other errors in our return that would have caused problems later. Take the rejection as an opportunity to review everything one more time.

Another thing to check - if your spouse recently got a new Social Security card issued (maybe due to the move you mentioned), sometimes the SSA database takes a while to fully sync the new card information with the IRS systems. This can cause temporary mismatches even when everything looks correct on your end. I'd also recommend logging into your spouse's my Social Security account at ssa.gov to verify exactly how their name appears in the SSA system. Sometimes there are subtle differences like middle initials, suffixes, or spacing that aren't obvious but cause rejections. If the SSA records look correct and match what you filed, you might also want to check if your spouse was claimed as a dependent on someone else's return by mistake (like elderly parents who might have old tax software). That can also trigger SSN-related rejections.

I went through this exact same frustration last year! After trying everything suggested here (calling SSA, checking for name discrepancies, etc.), it turned out to be something completely unexpected - my spouse's SSN was flagged for "suspicious activity" in the IRS system due to a data breach at their former employer. The SSN itself was correct, the name was correct, but the IRS had temporarily flagged it pending verification. This isn't something you can fix by resubmitting - it requires direct contact with the IRS to clear the flag. What finally worked for me was calling the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service (1-877-777-4778). They're specifically designed to help with these kinds of systemic issues that regular IRS customer service can't handle. They were able to clear the flag within a few days and my return was processed normally. Just wanted to mention this possibility since it's not commonly known but does happen, especially if your spouse has had any employment changes or lived in areas affected by major data breaches in recent years.

I had a very similar issue two years ago and it was incredibly frustrating! After going through all the usual troubleshooting (checking SSA records, verifying name formatting, etc.), I discovered that my spouse's SSN was actually correct in all systems, but there was a timing issue with when we filed. It turns out that my spouse had received a small 1099 form late in the season that we didn't include in our original filing. Even though the SSN rejection message made it seem like a Social Security number problem, the real issue was that the IRS had already received the 1099 with my spouse's SSN from the employer, but our return didn't include that income. The system flagged this as an SSN mismatch because it expected to see that 1099 income reported under my spouse's SSN. Once we amended our return to include the missing 1099, everything went through smoothly. I'd recommend double-checking that you have all tax documents for your spouse - sometimes employers send corrected or additional forms after you've already filed. Check your spouse's online accounts with any employers, banks, or investment companies to make sure no additional tax documents were issued after your filing.