TurboTax sent my 2023 and 2022 tax refunds to the wrong routing number and account
I just discovered something terrifying - TurboTax somehow entered the wrong routing number for my tax refund direct deposit not just this year but LAST year too! The banking info has the correct bank name but the routing number is totally wrong and apparently belongs to some completely different bank. I'm seriously freaking out right now. Has anyone else had this nightmare happen to them? I'm worried sick about where my money actually went. Is there any way to fix this disaster or am I just screwed? The IRS already processed everything and I have no idea what happens now with these refunds going to who-knows-where.
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Lucy Lam
Don't panic just yet! This happens more often than you'd think. When a tax refund is sent to an incorrect account, the bank will usually reject the deposit if the account number doesn't exist or doesn't match your name. In that case, the funds get returned to the IRS, and they'll typically issue you a paper check instead. First step: Contact the IRS at 800-829-1040 to let them know about the routing number error. They can track where your refund went and what's happening with it. Second step: Call TurboTax customer service to report the error - they need to know their software input the wrong information. If the incorrect account actually exists and accepted the deposit, that's trickier, but the IRS can still help with recovery procedures. Just be prepared that this might take some time to resolve.
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Aidan Hudson
•Thanks for this info! But how long does it typically take for the bank to reject the deposit and for the IRS to send a paper check? My refund was supposed to be pretty big and I was counting on it for some bills coming up.
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Lucy Lam
•It usually takes about 2-3 weeks for the bank to process the rejection and return the funds to the IRS. Then it's typically another 2-4 weeks for the IRS to issue and mail a paper check to your address on file. If you're facing immediate financial hardship because of this delay, mention that when you call the IRS. In some cases, they can expedite the process if you explain your situation. Just make sure your current mailing address is up to date with them so the check goes to the right place.
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Zoe Wang
After going through weeks of stress with my tax refund going nowhere, I finally found https://taxr.ai and it was literally a lifesaver. I uploaded my return documents and it immediately identified that my routing number was off by one digit (totally my fault but TurboTax didn't catch it). The AI analyzed my forms and showed me exactly where the error was, then guided me through the steps to correct it with the IRS. What impressed me most was how it analyzed my particular situation and gave me personalized instructions rather than generic advice. Saved me hours of waiting on hold with the IRS and probably weeks of delays!
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Connor Richards
•Does this service actually work for funds that have already been sent to the wrong account? Or is it just for catching mistakes before you file?
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Grace Durand
•I'm a bit skeptical... how exactly would an AI tool help with money that's already been sent to the wrong account? Wouldn't you still need to deal with the IRS directly regardless?
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Zoe Wang
•It absolutely works for refunds that have already been sent. The system analyzes your submitted tax documents and can identify the specific error codes and status of your refund. It gave me the exact IRS form I needed to complete (in my case Form 3911 - Taxpayer Statement Regarding Refund) and even pre-filled some of the technical parts based on my situation. The beauty of it is that it saves you from the confusion of figuring out which IRS process applies to your specific situation. In my case, it showed me exactly what to say when I called the IRS, which department to ask for, and what resolution options were available based on how long ago the refund was issued.
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Grace Durand
I have to admit I was really skeptical about https://taxr.ai when I saw it mentioned here, but I was desperate after TurboTax messed up my routing number too. I uploaded my tax transcript and return, and it immediately showed me that my refund had actually been rejected by the receiving bank already and was in "refund limbo" status with the IRS. The tool gave me the exact paragraph of IRS code that applied to my situation and generated a custom letter to send to the IRS Refund Inquiry department. Got my paper check 3 weeks later! Wish I'd known about this sooner instead of spending hours on hold with the IRS just to get generic advice.
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Steven Adams
When I had a similar issue with my refund last year, calling the IRS was absolutely IMPOSSIBLE. After dozens of attempts and hours of waiting, I found https://claimyr.com and watched their demo at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. Basically, they wait on hold with the IRS for you and call you when an actual human picks up! I was desperate because my refund of $4,300 was sent to the wrong account (my fault - I transposed two digits), and my mortgage payment was coming due. The Claimyr service got me connected to an IRS agent within a day. The agent confirmed my refund had bounced back from the wrong bank and was being processed for a paper check. They even expedited it due to my hardship situation after I actually got to speak with someone.
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Alice Fleming
•Wait, how does this actually work? Do they just have people sitting around waiting on hold with the IRS? That seems like it would be super expensive.
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Hassan Khoury
•Sorry, but this sounds like BS. The IRS literally tells you not to call about refund status. And even if you did get through, they'd just tell you to wait for the automated process to complete. No way they'd "expedite" anything just because you asked.
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Steven Adams
•They use an automated system that holds your place in the queue and then calls you when an agent picks up. No humans sitting around on hold - it's all technology-based, which is why it's so efficient. The IRS does tell people not to call about simple "where's my refund" questions, but incorrect banking information is actually one of the specific situations where they tell you TO call them. And yes, they absolutely can expedite in hardship situations - it's right in their Internal Revenue Manual. The key is getting to the right department, which is exactly what happened when I finally got through.
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Hassan Khoury
I need to publicly eat my words about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try it myself since my refund situation was becoming desperate (wrong account number, refund nowhere to be found). I got a call back in about 40 minutes with an actual IRS representative on the line. They confirmed my refund had been rejected by the receiving bank two weeks ago and was being processed for reissue. The agent even gave me an estimated date for when the paper check would be mailed. Would have NEVER gotten this info from the "Where's My Refund" tool which was still showing "Your refund has been sent to your bank" even though it clearly hadn't.
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Victoria Stark
This happened to me 2 years ago. TurboTax somehow saved the wrong routing number in my profile. Check if you have multiple bank accounts saved in your TurboTax profile - that's what caused mine. I had entered a temporary account one year and then TurboTax kept using it even though I thought I was selecting my main account. For everyone saying "just call the IRS" - good luck with that! I spent 6+ weeks trying before I finally got through, only to be told my refund had been returned to them 30 days earlier and a check was "in process" with no estimated delivery date. The check finally arrived 3 months after I filed.
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LordCommander
•Oh this is super helpful! I just checked my TurboTax account and found exactly this problem - I had set up an account for my ex years ago and somehow that routing info got saved as my primary. So weird that TurboTax would keep outdated bank info for years without confirming it's still valid! How long did it take from when you discovered the problem until you got your refund check?
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Victoria Stark
•From discovery to actually receiving the check was about 10 weeks total. The most frustrating part was that the "Where's My Refund" tool was completely useless during this time - it just kept saying the refund was sent to my bank account for weeks after the bank had already rejected it. If I were going through this again, I'd skip the frustration of trying to call myself and use one of the services others mentioned. The not-knowing was the worst part, and getting actual confirmation that the IRS was aware of the rejection and processing a check would have saved me a lot of anxiety.
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Benjamin Kim
Has anyone successfully gotten TurboTax to take responsibility for this kind of error? If THEY put in the wrong routing number (which it sounds like happened to the original poster), then shouldn't they be liable for helping fix it? I'm in a similar situation but TurboTax customer service keeps telling me it's "not their problem" once the return is filed.
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Samantha Howard
•I actually managed to get TurboTax to help after a LOT of escalation. The trick is to not deal with the first-level support. Ask specifically for a "Tax Specialist" and mention that the software incorrectly transmitted your banking information. They ended up giving me a direct contact at the IRS and even followed up to make sure my issue was resolved. They also refunded my TurboTax fees and gave me free filing for next year. But it took about 6 calls and a lot of insistence that this was their error, not mine.
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