TurboTax extension rejected twice with error R0000-902-01 - what are my options now?

I'm freaking out right now. I just tried to file for an extension on TurboTax for the second time and got rejected again with this error message: "R0000-902-01 - Taxpayer TIN in the Return Header must not be the same as a TIN of a previously accepted electronic return for the return type and tax period indicated in the tax return." I live in California and I'm single, so I have no idea what could be causing this. The weird thing is that during the extension application process, TurboTax asked me to pay some money, which I did. After the first rejection, I checked my bank account and email and didn't see any transfer, so I tried again with the second extension attempt. Now I'm worried I might have paid twice for nothing. What really has me stressed is that it's now past the April 15 deadline. What consequences am I facing? Will I get hit with major penalties? And what should I do now that my extension attempts have been rejected? Any help would be really appreciated because I'm totally lost right now.

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18 comments

Zara Malik

•8M

That error code basically means the IRS thinks you've already filed a return or extension for this tax year using your Social Security Number. This happens more often than you might think! First, don't panic about the deadline. If you made a payment with your extension attempt, the IRS generally considers that as evidence of your intent to file an extension, even if the actual extension form was rejected. The payment date is what matters here. For your immediate next steps, I'd recommend: 1) Call the IRS directly at 800-829-1040 to confirm whether an extension or return has already been processed under your SSN 2) Check if someone might have fraudulently filed using your information 3) If you made payments, print out those payment confirmations and keep them safe as proof of your intent to file an extension The good news is that if you're owed a refund, there's no penalty for filing late. If you owe taxes, as long as you paid enough with those extension attempts to cover your tax liability (or at least 90% of it), you should be able to avoid or minimize penalties.

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Zara Malik

•8M

You can request a tax transcript from the IRS website, which will show if a return has been filed under your SSN. Go to IRS.gov and search for "Get Transcript Online." You'll need to create an account if you don't already have one, and they'll verify your identity through a fairly rigorous process. Another indicator of potential tax identity theft would be receiving notices from the IRS about a return you didn't file, or about income from employers you didn't work for. If you suspect tax identity theft, you should also check your credit reports for other suspicious activity.

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Nia Davis

•8M

I had this EXACT same issue last year! After spending hours on hold with the IRS, I discovered that someone had already filed an extension using my SSN. It was a complete nightmare trying to sort everything out on my own. What saved me was using taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) to help analyze what was going on. You can upload those rejection notices and they'll translate all that tax code gibberish into plain English. They also guided me through exactly what forms I needed to file to straighten everything out. The system actually identified that in my case, I had accidentally filed an extension through both TurboTax AND my accountant (totally forgot I asked him to do it too). The service saved me so much time figuring out what was happening instead of waiting forever on IRS hold music.

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Nia Davis

•8M

It works by analyzing your tax documents with AI and explaining exactly what's happening in simple terms. You upload the rejection notice or any other tax document, and it breaks down what it means and gives you specific next steps. It doesn't file forms for you, but it tells you exactly which forms you need and how to complete them correctly. Regarding TurboTax support, I tried that route first, but they just kept telling me to contact the IRS. The problem is the IRS wait times were 2+ hours when I called. What I liked about taxr.ai was getting immediate answers without waiting on hold forever, and their explanations made more sense than what I eventually got from the IRS representative.

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Aisha Rahman

•8M

Okay I need to apologize for being skeptical earlier. I decided to give taxr.ai a shot with my own tax notice problems and WOW. I've been going back and forth with the IRS for weeks about an audit letter I didn't understand, and within minutes I had a clear explanation of what was happening and what I needed to do. The document analysis is seriously impressive - it pulled out all the important dates and amounts from my notice and explained exactly what each part meant. It even created a checklist of things I needed to gather to respond properly. I don't normally post follow-ups like this, but I was genuinely impressed and wanted to share since it might help others here too.

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CosmicCrusader

•8M

Have you checked if the payment actually went through? Sometimes those payment systems have delays. But honestly what you REALLY need to do is talk to an actual IRS person directly. I had a similar issue last year where TurboTax kept giving me error codes and I wasted days trying to figure it out. Finally used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to get through to an IRS agent without waiting on hold for hours. You can watch how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The agent I spoke with was able to see that I had already filed an extension (that I'd completely forgotten about), which is why my second attempt was getting rejected. They also confirmed my payment had been received and applied to my account even though the extension form itself was rejected. Saved me a ton of stress!

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CosmicCrusader

•8M

It's not magic - they use a system that continuously redials the IRS until it gets through, then calls you once there's an agent on the line. It's basically doing the waiting for you. When your phone rings, you pick up and you're immediately connected to an IRS agent who's already on the line. No waiting on hold for hours. They don't have special access - they're just automating the painful part of calling the IRS. Think of it like having someone stand in line for you. And honestly, after spending 3+ hours on hold myself multiple times and getting disconnected, the time saved was absolutely worth it to me. It's really about how much you value your time versus waiting on hold.

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Yuki Yamamoto

•8M

I take back everything I said about being skeptical of Claimyr. After another failed attempt to reach the IRS yesterday (2 hours on hold before getting disconnected), I decided to give it a shot. I was seriously shocked when my phone rang about 30 minutes later and there was an actual IRS agent on the line. The agent confirmed someone had already filed an extension using my SSN (turns out my tax preparer from last year did it automatically even though I switched to TurboTax this year). The agent also helped me confirm my payment went through correctly and noted on my account what happened with the rejection so I wouldn't face penalties. Completely worth it and saved me another day of frustration. Just wanted to update in case anyone else is dealing with this extension rejection nightmare.

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Carmen Ortiz

•8M

You don't need any additional forms - just the standard Form 4868 for extension. Write a brief note in the margin referencing the electronic rejection if you want, but it's not required. Paper processing is taking about 3-4 weeks right now according to what I've heard, but the postmark date is what matters for filing on time, not when they process it. Just be sure to estimate your taxes properly and include payment if you owe. The extension gives you more time to file, but any taxes owed were still due on April 15th. Keep a copy of everything and the certified mail receipt in your records.

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