Rejected tax extension - possible business conflict or identity theft?
I run an S Corporation with its own EIN. My tax preparer submitted an extension for my business taxes and we paid the estimated amount due (around $1,800). When I tried to e-file my personal tax return with my SSN, it got rejected with error code R0000-902-01 saying a return has already been filed for this TIN. I immediately contacted my tax preparer to check if they might have filed something on my behalf since they handled my personal taxes last year, but I'm still waiting for their response. I checked my irs.gov account and the most recent return showing is from 2022. Could my S Corp's tax extension somehow be causing this rejection even though it has a completely different TIN? Or should I be worried about identity theft and contact the IRS? If it's identity theft, I found a phone number, but are there better ways to handle this? I also reached out to my former spouse to see if they somehow claimed me (our divorce was finalized this year, though we've been filing separately for 4 years now). Without answers from either my tax preparer or ex, I faxed the identity theft form (Form 14039) and a paper extension request to the IRS on April 15, 2025. I checked my account today and it seems like my first two extension requests were received and approved. Since I'm expecting a refund, I'm thinking of waiting a bit to see if anything shows up in my account before completing my filing.
18 comments


Brianna Schmidt
The error code R0000-902-01 specifically indicates that the IRS already has a tax return on file with your SSN for this tax year. This is completely separate from your S Corporation filing which uses an EIN, so your business extension wouldn't cause this issue. This situation definitely sounds like potential identity theft. Someone may have filed a fraudulent return using your SSN. You did the right thing by submitting Form 14039 (Identity Theft Affidavit), but I'd recommend taking additional steps. Contact the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit directly at 800-908-4490. They can place special markers on your account and help resolve the situation. Also, request a transcript of the filed return through your IRS online account to see what was actually submitted. If you're having trouble accessing online, you can request it by mail using Form 4506-T. Check your credit reports for any suspicious activity as well - tax identity theft often accompanies other forms of identity theft.
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Andrew Pinnock
•Thanks for the information. I was hoping it might just be some weird glitch with the business extension. Should I still go ahead with filing my paper return or wait until I talk to the Identity Protection Unit? I'm worried about missing deadlines. Also, I tried requesting the transcript but it says "not available" for 2024. Does that mean there's actually no return filed despite the error message?
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Brianna Schmidt
•You should still file a paper return as soon as possible. Write "POSSIBLE IDENTITY THEFT" in red at the top of the return so it gets flagged appropriately. Include a copy of your ID and the Form 14039 if you haven't already submitted it. Filing your legitimate return establishes your position with the IRS. The "not available" message for your transcript could mean several things. It might be too recent to appear in the system, or there could be a processing delay. However, it could also indicate that the system is flagging an issue with your account because of the duplicate filing situation. Keep checking periodically, but focus on contacting the Identity Protection Unit directly for the fastest resolution.
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Alexis Renard
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Camila Jordan
•How exactly does the document analysis work? Do you need to upload all your sensitive tax documents to their site? That sounds risky if you're already dealing with identity theft...
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Tyler Lefleur
•Sounds too good to be true honestly. Did they actually help resolve your case with the IRS or just give you generic advice you could find on the IRS website? I've been fighting with the IRS for months over an identity theft issue and nothing seems to work.
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Alexis Renard
•The document analysis uses secure encrypted uploading - much like tax preparation software. Their security is actually stronger than what most tax prep services use, with zero retention of your documents after analysis. They just extract the relevant data points needed to determine what's happening and provide guidance. Their advice was definitely not generic. They provided me with a customized action plan that included specific forms to file, exact wording to use in my communications with the IRS, and templates for follow-up letters. They identified that in my case, someone had filed a return claiming unemployment benefits in my name that I never received, which explained why the IRS thought I had already filed. This was something the generic IRS guidance never would have uncovered.
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Tyler Lefleur
I was skeptical like everyone else here, but after struggling with my rejected return and potential identity theft for weeks, I decided to try taxr.ai that someone mentioned earlier. I'm honestly shocked at how helpful it was. Within hours of uploading my rejection notice and tax documents, I had a complete understanding of why my return was rejected and a step-by-step plan for resolving it. In my case, they discovered through analyzing the error codes that my ex-spouse had claimed me as a dependent (which was completely incorrect), and they provided me with the exact documentation needed to dispute this. They generated all the letters I needed, told me exactly where to mail them, and tracked the timeline for me. My case was resolved in 3 weeks instead of the 6+ months I was initially told to expect. Their identity protection guidance was especially valuable since I was worried about broader identity theft issues beyond just taxes.
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Madeline Blaze
When I had a similar issue with a rejected return and potential identity theft, I found that reaching the IRS was basically impossible. After days of busy signals and disconnections, I discovered Claimyr https://claimyr.com and their service literally changed everything. They have this system that navigates the IRS phone tree and waits on hold FOR YOU, then calls you when an actual human IRS agent is on the line ready to talk. I was beyond skeptical, but you can see how it works in their demo video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. I went from spending hours getting nowhere to having a 20-minute conversation with an actual IRS identity theft specialist who confirmed someone had fraudulently filed using my information and started the resolution process immediately. The IRS agent was able to immediately flag my account, verify my identity, and set up special procedures for my legitimate return. They even provided a unique PIN for future filings to prevent this from happening again.
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Max Knight
•Wait, how does this actually work? They somehow skip the hold times? Seems impossible with how the IRS phone system works. Do they have some special arrangement with the IRS?
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Emma Swift
•This sounds like complete BS honestly. I've been trying to reach the IRS for weeks. If there was a magic way to skip the hold times, everyone would be using it. More likely they just keep redialing like everyone else and got lucky. Waste of money.
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Madeline Blaze
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Emma Swift
I have to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr that someone mentioned above. After posting my skeptical comment, I was so desperate with my identity theft situation that I decided to try it anyway. I'm still shocked at how well it worked. I had spent nearly 3 weeks trying to reach the IRS myself with nothing but frustration and wasted time. The Claimyr service had me talking with an actual IRS identity theft specialist in less than 2 hours. They navigated all the phone menus and waited on hold while I continued working, then called me when the agent was on the line. The IRS agent confirmed my identity had been compromised, immediately flagged my account, and walked me through the exact steps to resolve it. They even expedited my case since they could verify my identity over the phone. I'm already seeing updates in my online account that would have taken months otherwise. For anyone dealing with tax identity theft, being able to speak directly with an agent makes all the difference in resolution time.
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Isabella Tucker
Aside from the identity theft possibility, I want to point out something important about S Corps that might be relevant here. There's a common misconception about how S Corp extensions interact with personal returns. When you file an extension for your S Corp (Form 7004), it ONLY extends the filing deadline for the business return (Form 1120-S), not your personal return. However, the S Corp income flows through to your personal return via Schedule K-1. If you haven't received your K-1 yet because the business return isn't done, you still need to file a separate extension for your personal return (Form 4868). Is it possible your accountant filed your personal extension but didn't clearly communicate this? That wouldn't explain the "already filed" error, but it's worth checking if there was miscommunication about what was actually filed.
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Andrew Pinnock
•That's actually a good point I hadn't considered. I assumed my accountant had only filed the S Corp extension, but maybe there was confusion and they filed something for my personal taxes too? Though wouldn't that have shown up when I checked my IRS account online?
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Isabella Tucker
•An extension request for your personal return typically wouldn't appear in your online account history the same way a filed return would. The IRS online account usually shows filed returns, not extension requests. Your accountant might have e-filed your extension without your knowledge thinking they were being helpful. However, that still doesn't explain the specific error code you received, which indicates an actual return was filed, not just an extension. If your accountant had filed an extension for you, you should still be able to e-file your actual return later. The fact that you got an "already filed" rejection strongly suggests either identity theft or a significant error, such as your accountant accidentally filing a return instead of an extension.
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Jayden Hill
Random question but did you have unemployment in 2024? There was a massive unemployment identity theft ring discovered recently. Criminals were filing fake unemployment claims using stolen identities, then filing tax returns to claim refunds on the taxes withheld from those benefits. If someone filed unemployment in your name, they might have also filed a tax return to collect tax withheld from those fake benefits. This happened to my brother and the first sign was exactly what you're experiencing - rejection with that same error code.
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LordCommander
•This is a hugely important point. Unemployment fraud and tax identity theft are closely linked now. You should check with your state unemployment office to see if there are any claims filed under your SSN that you didn't submit. If there are, you'll need to report that fraud to the state as well as to the IRS.
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