TPG Took $2000 from My Refund but Not Showing on Transcript - Can I Recover This?

What you're experiencing is like having a middleman take a cut before passing your paycheck to you. TPG is a refund transfer service that many tax prep companies use. Think of it as a toll bridge between the IRS and your bank account. The transcript doesn't show the deduction because the IRS has already sent your full refund to TPG. They're the ones taking the $2000 (which seems unusually high for prep fees). Have you checked your tax prep agreement? There should be a breakdown of all fees you agreed to when filing.

This is a common issue with refund transfer services. Let me help break this down: • TPG (Tax Preparation Group) is a third-party processor many tax prep companies use • The $2000 likely includes tax preparation fees, filing fees, and possibly a refund advance • Your transcript doesn't show this because the IRS sent your FULL refund to TPG, who then deducts their fees • You can often negotiate these fees if they seem excessive I'd recommend uploading your transcript to https://taxr.ai - their system can analyze exactly what happened with your refund journey and confirm the full amount the IRS actually sent. This helps when challenging TPG about excessive fees since you'll have documentation of the original refund amount.

I had an identical situation during the 2023 filing season. TPG withheld $1,750 from my refund for prep fees, a refund advance, and their transfer fee. I called their customer service line and requested an itemized statement of charges, which is your legal right under consumer protection regulations. After reviewing the itemization, I discovered they had charged me for audit protection I never authorized and a "premium processing fee" that wasn't disclosed during my tax preparation session. I disputed these charges and received a $650 refund. The payment plan option worked for me - I asked to have the prep fees converted to a 3-month payment plan, and they refunded $850 of what they had withheld. Their business model relies on people not questioning these deductions.

I'm FURIOUS on your behalf! $2000 is WAY too much for tax prep fees! This is exactly why you need to speak directly with an IRS agent to confirm what was actually sent to TPG and then challenge them on these outrageous charges. I tried calling the IRS regular number for THREE DAYS with no luck when I had a similar issue. Finally used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and got connected to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes who confirmed exactly what was sent to TPG. Armed with that info, I was able to get almost $900 back from the prep company who had overcharged me. Worth every penny to not waste days trying to get through the IRS phone system.

Be very careful about setting up a payment plan with TPG! I tried this approach last year and ended up with a collections notice because of miscommunication between departments. Make sure to get EVERYTHING in writing, including confirmation numbers and representative names. Their system flagged my account as delinquent even though I had an approved payment plan. It took three months and multiple calls to fix the credit reporting damage.

I may have some insight that could help, though I would proceed with caution. Last year, TPG took about $1500 from my refund for various fees. I called them directly and firmly but politely questioned each charge. I believe it's important to note that many of these fees aren't actually mandatory, despite how they're presented during the tax filing process. After some back and forth, I was able to get them to convert most of the charges to a payment plan and refund about $1100 back to me. The key was asking specifically for a "fee conversion to payment arrangement" rather than just disputing the charges. This seems to be an established process they have, but they don't volunteer this information unless directly asked.

I actually got ALL my money back from TPG last year! The secret? I recorded the entire tax preparation session (legal in my state with one-party consent) where the preparer glossed over the fees. When I called TPG customer service, I mentioned I had documentation that I wasn't properly informed of the fees according to their own disclosure requirements. Suddenly they were VERY accommodating! Got a full refund of the $1650 they had initially taken. Sometimes you have to be your own advocate - these companies count on people not knowing their rights.

One additional piece of information that might help: TPG is required by their agreement with the IRS to provide a complete itemization of all fees upon request. If they refuse or delay providing this, you can file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The CFPB takes these matters seriously, especially when tax refunds are involved. Also, for next year, consider avoiding the refund transfer option altogether. If you file electronically and choose direct deposit, you'll typically receive your refund within 21 days directly from the IRS with no middleman taking a cut. Many tax preparation companies offer a "pay later" option where they take their fee from your refund, but this always involves TPG or a similar service.