Need help getting EFT reference number from payusatax.com - payment shows completed but IRS says no record

I've dealt with this exact situation before. The IRS and these third-party payment processors sometimes have communication issues where the payment gets processed but doesn't get properly credited to your account with the IRS. First thing - don't panic about penalties yet. The IRS typically has a process for handling these situations once you can prove you made the payment. What you need right now is documentation. Gather your credit card statement showing the payment, the confirmation email from payusatax, and any other proof you have that the transaction went through. For payusatax specifically, try calling them very early in the morning when their customer service opens - I've found that's when you're most likely to get through. If you still can't reach them, you might try contacting them through social media if they have accounts - sometimes companies respond faster there due to the public nature. In the meantime, I'd suggest calling the IRS directly and explaining the situation. Bring up that you have proof of payment and that the third-party processor is being unresponsive. Sometimes the IRS can put a temporary hold on penalties while you sort this out if you can demonstrate you're actively trying to resolve it.

After dealing with similar third-party payment processor headaches, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it's been a game-changer for situations exactly like this. It helped me track down an EFT payment that seemed to disappear into thin air. What it does is analyze all your tax documentation, payment records, and confirmation numbers to generate the proper documentation you need for the IRS. I uploaded my payment confirmation and credit card statement, and the system was able to help format everything properly to prove my payment was made. They also have specific experience with payusatax.com issues - apparently this happens more often than you'd think. Their system helped me generate a proper dispute letter that included all the necessary information and references to IRS policies about third-party payments. The IRS accepted my documentation within 10 days and removed the penalties they were threatening.

I tried taxr.ai after seeing the recommendation here and I'm honestly impressed with the results. My situation was with a different payment processor, but similar issue - they had my money but the IRS said they never received it. The service helped me compile all my evidence in the exact format the IRS prefers. I didn't know this, but apparently there's a specific way the IRS likes to receive documentation for these disputes that makes it easier for them to process. The system guided me through uploading my bank statement, confirmation emails, and even screenshots of my payment processor account. The most helpful part was the step-by-step script they provided for my call with the IRS. Following their recommended approach, I was able to get a "hold" placed on my account while the issue was being resolved, which prevented any additional penalties from accruing. The IRS agent I spoke with actually commented that my documentation was unusually well-organized! My issue got resolved last week - took about 3 weeks total from when I first used the service. Worth every penny for the stress it saved me.

If you're getting nowhere with payusatax and need to talk to the IRS directly about this, I highly recommend using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was in a similar situation where I couldn't get any help from a payment processor and needed to talk to the IRS urgently. The frustrating part about the IRS is that you can spend hours on hold only to get disconnected. Claimyr solved this by basically waiting on hold for me and then calling me when they reached an actual IRS agent. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I used it last month when I had a similar payment issue where money had left my account but the IRS said they hadn't received it. Getting to speak with a live agent made all the difference - they were able to look up my payment by the date and amount, and even though they couldn't see it in their system initially, they created a research case to track it down rather than just telling me to pay again.

Well I'm eating my words now. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try Claimyr since I've been dealing with my own IRS payment issue. I figured what's the worst that could happen? I set it up around 9am, went about my morning meetings and errands, and then got a call around 11:30 connecting me directly to an IRS agent! No hold music, no automated system - just straight to a human who could actually help me. The agent was even a bit confused at first because they hadn't been on hold with anyone (from their perspective, the call had just started). I explained my situation with my missing tax payment and was able to get a resolution in about 15 minutes. They created a payment tracer case and gave me a reference number to follow up with. Would have taken me all day to accomplish this on my own based on past experience. For anyone dealing with these third-party payment processor nightmares, being able to actually talk to the IRS directly makes a huge difference. They can put notes on your account showing you're actively trying to resolve the issue, which helps prevent additional penalties.

One thing nobody has mentioned yet - have you checked if your payment might have been applied to a different tax year or type of tax? I had a similar issue where I made a payment for my 2023 taxes, but somehow it got applied to my 2022 account. The IRS systems sometimes misapply payments even when the information you enter is correct. When I finally got through to an agent, they were able to find my payment but it was sitting in the wrong "bucket" in their system. They transferred it to the correct tax year and everything was resolved. Also, don't forget to ask for abatement of any penalties and interest that accrued while this was being sorted out. The IRS can remove those since the error wasn't your fault - you have proof you paid on time.

Just want to add a quick warning - while you're sorting this out, make sure you respond to any IRS notices within the timeframes they specify, even if it's just to tell them you're disputing the issue. If you ignore notices completely, it can lead to escalation regardless of whether you're in the right or not. I learned this the hard way when I had a similar payment issue. I knew I had paid and figured it would sort itself out, so I ignored a couple of follow-up notices. Big mistake! That led to them sending me to collections even though I had proof of payment. Once you're in collections, everything gets more complicated and stressful.

I went through almost the exact same situation with payusatax.com last year! The key thing that finally worked for me was being extremely persistent with their customer service. Here's what I did: 1. Called them every single day at 8 AM sharp when they opened - I found that's when you're most likely to get through to an actual person rather than being stuck in their phone tree. 2. When I finally got someone on the phone, I immediately asked to speak to a supervisor about a "missing EFT reference number for IRS payment dispute." Using that specific language seemed to get me transferred to someone who actually knew what they were talking about. 3. I had my confirmation number, payment date, and credit card statement ready before I called. They were able to look up my payment in their system and provide the EFT reference number on the spot. The whole process took about two weeks of daily calls, but once I got the EFT number, I was able to provide it to the IRS and everything was resolved within a few days. Don't give up - the payment is definitely in their system somewhere, you just need to find the right person who can access it. Also, make sure you're calling payusatax directly and not going through any third-party sites that might look similar. Their real customer service number should be on your original payment confirmation email.