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Kyle Wallace

What does TAX REFUND PROC for RFND DISB mean on my tax refund?

I was expecting my tax refund via direct deposit on April 15th for $6,200, but yesterday I only got $5,100 deposited into my account with "TAX REFUND PROC for RFND DISB" as the description. I'm totally confused about what this means! Where's the other $1,100 that I'm missing? The IRS Where's My Refund tool said I was getting the full amount, but now I'm short by quite a bit. Has anyone else had this happen where they got a partial refund with this weird description? I double-checked all my math and my return was filed correctly, so I don't understand why they'd just randomly take money out of my refund without telling me! 😫

Ryder Ross

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This is actually pretty common - "TAX REFUND PROC for RFND DISB" just means "Tax Refund Processing for Refund Disbursement." It's the standard description the Treasury uses when they deposit your tax refund. The missing $1,100 is likely due to an offset, which happens when you have certain types of debt that the government is allowed to collect from your tax refund. Common offsets include unpaid federal student loans, past-due child support, state income tax debt, or unemployment overpayments. The IRS doesn't always show offsets on the Where's My Refund tool, which is why you weren't notified before the deposit. You should receive a notice in the mail within the next 1-2 weeks explaining exactly why your refund was reduced. It'll detail which agency received the offset funds and provide contact information if you need to dispute it.

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If it was an offset wouldn't they be notified before they got the refund? My brother had child support taken out of his and he knew weeks before his refund hit his account.

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Ryder Ross

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Not always. While some offset notices are sent out early, especially for child support, many people don't receive notification until after the refund has been adjusted. It depends on the type of debt and which agency is collecting it. The Bureau of Fiscal Service (which handles offsets) sometimes processes these reductions very close to the refund disbursement date, so the IRS's systems don't reflect the change in time to update Where's My Refund. This is especially common during peak tax season when millions of refunds are processing simultaneously.

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Henry Delgado

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I went through the exact same thing last year and was freaking out about my missing money! I spent hours on hold with the IRS trying to figure out what happened. I finally stumbled across https://taxr.ai which saved me so much stress! I uploaded a picture of my bank statement with the TAX REFUND PROC for RFND DISB transaction and a copy of my tax return, and their system immediately showed me that I had an offset for an old utility bill that went to collections that I'd completely forgotten about. The site gave me a detailed explanation of exactly what TAX REFUND PROC for RFND DISB meant, why a portion was taken, and even showed me how to read the notice I'd be receiving. It also explained what my options were if I wanted to dispute the offset.

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Olivia Kay

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How does this actually work? Do I need to give them my social security number or other personal info? Seems sketchy to just upload tax docs to a random website.

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Joshua Hellan

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Does it work if I already received the notice in the mail but dont understand what it means? I got something about a TOP offset but it doesn't say what for specifically.

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Henry Delgado

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You don't have to provide your SSN - you can actually black out sensitive info on your documents before uploading. They use AI to analyze the document structure, not your personal data. The system just needs to see the relevant parts like the refund amount, filing status, and any codes or messages. For your question about the TOP offset notice - yes, that's exactly what it's designed for! TOP stands for Treasury Offset Program. The system can decode these notices and explain exactly what they mean in plain English. It'll help you understand which agency claimed the money and give you the right contact information to follow up.

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Joshua Hellan

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Just wanted to update that I tried taxr.ai after seeing the suggestion here. I uploaded my bank statement with the TAX REFUND PROC for RFND DISB transaction and my TOP offset notice. The system immediately identified that my refund was offset due to a defaulted student loan I didn't even know was in default! It even showed me which loan servicer had requested the offset and gave me their direct contact number. I called them and found out my mail had been going to an old address, which is why I never got the warnings. I was able to set up a rehabilitation plan for the loan and update my contact info. Definitely recommend if anyone else is confused about their refund being different than expected!

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Jibriel Kohn

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If you're still trying to figure out what happened to your refund, good luck getting through to the IRS right now! I spent 3 days trying to reach someone and kept getting disconnected after being on hold for hours. Finally found https://claimyr.com and watched their demo at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - they actually call the IRS for you and get you connected without the wait. I used it to find out about my missing $2,300 from my refund (also showed as TAX REFUND PROC for RFND DISB). When I finally got through to a human at the IRS, they explained that I had a state tax offset I didn't know about from 3 years ago when I moved states. The IRS agent was able to give me the specific department to contact about the offset and verification numbers I needed.

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How does this even work? The IRS phone system is terrible, how can they get through when regular people can't?

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Yeah right, no way this actually works. I've called the IRS literally 25 times and they NEVER answer. This sounds like a scam to get people's money when they're already stressed about missing refund money.

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Jibriel Kohn

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They use an automated system that navigates the IRS phone tree and waits on hold for you. When they reach a human representative, you get a call connecting you directly. It's basically like having someone wait on hold for you so you don't have to waste your whole day. For anyone wondering about the scam concern - I was skeptical too. But they don't ask for any tax information from you. They just need your phone number to call you back when they reach an agent. You give all your personal info directly to the IRS agent, not to the service.

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I need to eat my words from yesterday. After being super skeptical about Claimyr, I was desperate enough to try it this morning since my refund was short by $1,700 with that same TAX REFUND PROC for RFND DISB message. Got a call back in about 40 minutes connecting me to an actual IRS person! The agent explained that I had a federal student loan offset that I wasn't notified about because they had my old address. She gave me the direct number to the Department of Education's offset division and the reference numbers I needed. Just got off the phone with them and they're sending me information about how to set up a payment plan that could make me eligible for a refund of the offset amount since I'm experiencing financial hardship. Without getting through to the IRS I would have been waiting weeks for a letter that probably would've gone to the wrong address anyway!

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James Johnson

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Another reason you might see a smaller amount with "TAX REFUND PROC for RFND DISB" is if your return had math errors that the IRS corrected. This happened to me - I accidentally claimed a credit I wasn't eligible for, and instead of rejecting my whole return, they just adjusted it and sent a smaller refund. Check your mail carefully over the next 2-3 weeks. You'll get a CP12 notice explaining any changes they made to your return. With the backlog at the IRS, sometimes the refund arrives before the explanation does.

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Would they adjust it without telling me first? Seems weird they can just change your tax return without permission.

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James Johnson

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The IRS actually has the authority to make certain corrections without your prior approval. They call these "math error adjustments" but they cover more than just math mistakes - they include things like claiming credits you don't qualify for, entering incorrect Social Security Numbers, or exceeding income limits for certain deductions. They're required to send you a notice explaining what they changed, but the notice often arrives after the adjusted refund has already been deposited. If you disagree with their adjustment, you have 60 days from the date on the notice to request an abatement (reversal) of their correction.

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Mia Green

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Has anyone checked the IRS debt offset line? Call 800-304-3107 and follow the prompts. It'll tell you if your refund was reduced because of outstanding debts and which agency took the money. Saved me a ton of time trying to figure out why my refund was different than expected!

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Emma Bianchi

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This actually works!! I just called and found out my refund was offset for an old state tax bill from when I lived in California. I moved 5 years ago and had no idea I still owed anything. Would have been waiting forever for a letter.

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For what it's worth, "TAX REFUND PROC for RFND DISB" is just the standard banking description that shows up for ALL tax refunds - it doesn't indicate anything is wrong. The Treasury Department uses this same wording whether you get your full refund or a partial one. That said, a $1,100 difference is significant and almost certainly means there was an offset. The most common ones are federal student loans in default, back child support, state tax debts, or unemployment overpayments from during the pandemic (a lot of people got caught up in those). You should definitely get a notice in the mail explaining exactly what happened, but like others mentioned, it can take 2-3 weeks to arrive. If you can't wait, that debt offset hotline someone mentioned (800-304-3107) is probably your fastest bet to find out what's going on. Just have your SSN ready when you call.

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This happened to me too! I was expecting $4,800 but only got $3,600 with that same "TAX REFUND PROC for RFND DISB" description. Turns out I had an old unemployment overpayment from 2020 that I completely forgot about - apparently when they were sending out pandemic benefits, some people got duplicate payments and now they're collecting them back through tax refund offsets. The frustrating part is that the IRS Where's My Refund tool showed my full amount right up until the day it was deposited, so there was no warning at all. I ended up calling that 800-304-3107 number someone mentioned and it told me exactly which agency took the money and how much. Saved me weeks of waiting for a letter that might have gotten lost in the mail. If you suspect it might be unemployment-related, you can also check with your state's unemployment office directly. They usually have an online portal where you can see if you have any outstanding overpayments on your account.

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Chloe Green

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Thanks for sharing your experience! This is really helpful to know that unemployment overpayments from the pandemic are still being collected through tax refunds. I had no idea that was even a thing. Quick question - when you called that debt offset number, did it give you specific details about how to contact the agency that took the money? Or did you have to figure that out on your own? I'm wondering if I should just call that number first before trying to reach the IRS directly. Also, did you end up being able to dispute the unemployment overpayment at all, or did you just have to accept that the money was gone?

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The automated system gives you the basic info - which agency took the money and the amount - but you'll need to contact them directly for details about disputing it. For unemployment overpayments, each state handles it differently. Some have online appeals processes, others require you to call or mail in paperwork. In my case, I was able to get part of it reduced because I could prove I reported my income correctly when I originally filed for benefits. The state unemployment office had made an error in their calculations. It took about 6 weeks to get it sorted out, but I did get some money back. I'd definitely recommend calling the debt offset line first - it's way faster than trying to reach the IRS, and it'll tell you exactly which agency to contact. Then you can go directly to the source instead of playing phone tag with multiple departments.

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Just want to add that if you're dealing with a student loan offset, don't panic! I had a similar situation where $2,200 was taken from my refund for a loan I thought was in forbearance. The "TAX REFUND PROC for RFND DISB" description is definitely confusing - I wish they'd make it clearer what it means. After calling that debt offset hotline (800-304-3107), I found out my loan servicer had changed and my forbearance paperwork got lost in the transfer. I was able to contact the new servicer, provide proof of my original forbearance request, and they actually reversed the offset within about 8 weeks. I got the full $2,200 back as a separate direct deposit. The key is acting quickly once you find out what happened. Most agencies have dispute processes, but there are usually time limits. Don't just assume the money is gone forever - it's worth making those phone calls to see if there was an error or if you qualify for any hardship programs that could get your money back.

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This is really encouraging to hear! I'm dealing with something similar where my student loan servicer changed twice in the past year and I'm pretty sure some paperwork got lost in the shuffle. When you called the new servicer, did you need specific reference numbers or documentation from the offset, or were they able to look everything up just with your SSN? Also, when you got the money back, did it come with any interest or was it just the original offset amount? I'm trying to figure out if it's worth the hassle to dispute mine or if I should just accept it and move on.

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Drake

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@a1978de8d17d When I called the new servicer, I just needed my SSN and they were able to pull up all the offset information in their system. The Treasury Offset Program automatically provides them with the details when they process the collection, so they had the reference numbers and dates on their end. As for getting the money back - it was just the original offset amount, no interest added. But honestly, it was still totally worth pursuing! $2,200 is a lot of money, and the whole process only took a few phone calls and some paperwork. The hardest part was actually getting through to a human at the loan servicer, but once I did, they were pretty helpful. I'd definitely recommend at least calling to see what your options are. Even if you can't get the full amount reversed, some servicers offer rehabilitation programs where you can get partial refunds if you set up a payment plan. Worst case scenario, they tell you no and you're in the same situation you're in now.

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Hazel Garcia

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I went through this exact same thing last year! Got my refund with "TAX REFUND PROC for RFND DISB" and was short about $800. Turns out it was an old unpaid parking ticket that had gone to collections and somehow made it into the Treasury Offset Program - I had no idea that was even possible! The most frustrating part was that I never got any advance notice. The IRS Where's My Refund tool showed the full amount right up until the day it hit my account, just like yours did. I spent hours on hold trying to reach someone who could explain what happened. What finally worked for me was calling that debt offset hotline at 800-304-3107 that others have mentioned. It's an automated system that told me exactly which agency took the money (in my case, it was the city I used to live in). Once I knew that, I was able to call them directly and work out a payment plan that actually got me a partial refund since the collection fees were higher than they should have been. Don't give up on that missing $1,100 - there's a good chance you can at least find out what it's for and maybe even dispute it if there was an error. The "TAX REFUND PROC for RFND DISB" description is just Treasury's standard wording, so that part is totally normal.

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Miguel Castro

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Wow, parking tickets can trigger tax refund offsets? That's crazy! I had no idea cities could tap into the Treasury Offset Program for something like that. How long ago was the parking ticket from when they took it out of your refund? I'm dealing with a similar situation where I'm missing money from my refund and have no clue what it could be for. I've moved around a lot in the past few years so there could be all sorts of random debts I've forgotten about. Definitely going to call that 800-304-3107 number first thing tomorrow - seems like that's the fastest way to get answers without waiting weeks for a letter that might never come. Thanks for sharing your experience! It's reassuring to know that even weird situations like parking ticket offsets can sometimes be resolved.

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I had this exact same issue a couple months ago! The "TAX REFUND PROC for RFND DISB" description is just the standard Treasury language - it shows up on everyone's refund deposit, whether full or partial. The missing $1,100 is almost definitely an offset. What really helped me was calling the Treasury Offset Program's automated line at 800-304-3107. You just enter your SSN and it tells you exactly which agency took money from your refund and how much. It's way faster than waiting for the IRS to mail you a notice, which can take weeks. In my case, it turned out to be an old student loan that had defaulted when my loan servicer changed and my payment got lost in the shuffle. I was able to contact them directly and get it sorted out. The key is finding out who took the money first - then you can decide if it's worth disputing or if you just need to deal with the debt. Don't assume the money is gone forever though - a lot of these offsets can be challenged if there was an error!

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GalaxyGlider

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This is super helpful advice! I'm actually going through something similar right now where my refund was about $900 less than expected with that same "TAX REFUND PROC for RFND DISB" description. I had no idea there was a specific number you could call to find out about offsets - definitely going to try 800-304-3107 tomorrow morning. It's so frustrating that the IRS Where's My Refund tool doesn't warn you about these offsets ahead of time. Like you said, it shows the full amount right up until it hits your account, then suddenly you're missing a chunk of money with no explanation. At least now I know it's a common issue and not just me! Did you end up getting any of your money back when you contacted the student loan servicer, or did you just have to accept that it was a legitimate debt? I'm hoping mine might be some kind of error since I can't think of any outstanding debts I have.

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Freya Larsen

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@55dcf93bc888 I actually did get some of my money back! It took about 6 weeks of back and forth, but I was able to prove that I had been making payments and the default was due to their error when they transferred my loan to a new servicer. They ended up refunding about 60% of what was taken and put my loan back in good standing. The 800-304-3107 number is definitely your best first step - it'll save you so much time trying to figure out who to call. Once you know which agency took the money, you can contact them directly instead of going through the IRS. Even if it turns out to be a legitimate debt, many agencies have hardship programs or payment plans that might help you get some relief. Good luck with your situation! Even if you can't think of any outstanding debts, sometimes old bills get sold to collection agencies and end up in the Treasury Offset Program without much notice. At least you'll know for sure once you make that call.

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I see you're dealing with the same frustrating situation many of us have faced! That "TAX REFUND PROC for RFND DISB" description is definitely confusing - it's just Treasury's standard wording for all tax refund deposits, but it doesn't tell you anything about why your amount might be different than expected. The $1,100 difference strongly suggests an offset, and unfortunately the IRS Where's My Refund tool is notorious for not showing these ahead of time. I'd definitely recommend calling the Treasury Offset Program hotline at 800-304-3107 right away - it's an automated system that will tell you exactly which agency took money from your refund and how much. You just need your SSN and it gives you the info immediately instead of waiting weeks for a letter. Once you know who took the money, you can contact them directly to find out the details and see if there's any way to dispute it. Common offsets include federal student loans, child support, state taxes, unemployment overpayments from the pandemic, and even some local government debts that have been escalated to federal collection. Don't assume the money is gone forever - many people in this thread have had success getting partial or full refunds when there were errors in the offset process. It's definitely worth making a few phone calls to investigate!

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ThunderBolt7

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This is really comprehensive advice! I'm new to dealing with tax issues and had no idea there was a specific hotline just for finding out about offsets. It's honestly pretty shocking that the IRS system doesn't give you any heads up about this stuff - seems like they could at least update the Where's My Refund tool to say "Your refund may be subject to offset" or something. I'm curious though - when you call that 800-304-3107 number, does it give you any information about how to dispute the offset if you think it's wrong? Or do you have to figure that out separately once you know which agency took the money? I'm hoping my situation might be an error since I've been pretty good about staying on top of my bills, but you never know what might have slipped through the cracks over the years.

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Oliver Weber

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I totally understand your frustration - that exact same thing happened to me about 6 months ago! The "TAX REFUND PROC for RFND DISB" description is just the standard Treasury Department language that appears on all tax refunds, whether they're the full amount or reduced. It basically just means "tax refund processing for refund disbursement" - nothing more specific than that. The missing $1,100 is almost certainly due to an offset for some type of outstanding debt. The most common culprits are federal student loans in default, past-due child support, state income tax debts, or unemployment benefit overpayments (especially from the pandemic era when there were a lot of processing errors). Here's what I wish someone had told me when I was in your shoes: call the Treasury Offset Program's automated hotline at 800-304-3107. You'll need your Social Security number, and the system will immediately tell you which agency took money from your refund and exactly how much. This is way faster than waiting 2-3 weeks for a notice in the mail that might get lost or go to an old address. Once you know who took the money, you can contact that agency directly to get more details and find out if there's any way to dispute the offset. Don't assume the money is gone forever - I've seen several success stories in this thread alone where people were able to get partial or full refunds when there were errors in the collection process. The really annoying part is that the IRS Where's My Refund tool almost never shows these offsets in advance, so you get blindsided just like you did. It's definitely a flaw in their system, but at least now you know how to get answers quickly!

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Rhett Bowman

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This is exactly the kind of detailed explanation I was hoping to find! I'm in the same boat as the original poster - got a partial refund with that confusing "TAX REFUND PROC for RFND DISB" description and had no clue what was going on. It's really frustrating that the IRS doesn't give you any warning about offsets, especially when you're counting on that money for bills or other expenses. I'm definitely going to call that 800-304-3107 number first thing Monday morning. Based on all the responses here, it sounds like that's the fastest way to get actual answers instead of waiting around for a letter that might never come. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that if there is an offset, it might be something I can dispute or at least understand better. Thanks for taking the time to write such a thorough response - it's really helpful to know I'm not the only one who's been caught off guard by this!

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Amina Bah

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I went through this exact same situation about 8 months ago and it was so stressful! That "TAX REFUND PROC for RFND DISB" description is completely unhelpful - it's just the standard Treasury wording that shows up on everyone's tax refund, whether you get the full amount or not. The missing $1,100 definitely sounds like an offset, and I hate how the IRS Where's My Refund tool gives you zero warning about this. Mine showed the full expected amount right up until the day the money hit my account, then boom - I was short $1,400 with no explanation. What saved me tons of time and stress was calling the Treasury Offset Program at 800-304-3107. It's an automated system where you just enter your SSN and it immediately tells you which agency took money from your refund and how much. No waiting on hold, no confusing paperwork - just straight answers. In my case, it turned out to be an old state tax debt from when I moved across the country. I had completely forgotten about it because they'd been sending notices to my old address. Once I knew what agency to contact, I was able to call them directly and work out a payment plan that actually qualified me for a partial refund of the offset amount. Don't give up on that missing money! A lot of people in similar situations have been able to get at least some of it back when there were errors in the collection process or when they qualified for hardship programs. The key is finding out who took it first, then you can decide your next steps.

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Ev Luca

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This is such a helpful thread! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now and was completely panicking when I saw my refund was $800 short. That "TAX REFUND PROC for RFND DISB" description had me so confused - I thought maybe my bank had made an error or something. It's really reassuring to hear that so many people have been able to figure out what happened and even get some of their money back in certain cases. I'm definitely going to try calling that 800-304-3107 number tomorrow. Even if I can't dispute whatever the offset is for, at least I'll know what's going on instead of just wondering where my money went. Thanks for sharing your experience with the state tax debt - that's exactly the kind of thing I'm worried about since I've moved a few times in recent years. It's scary how these old debts can just pop up and take your refund without any warning!

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Ethan Clark

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Hey Kyle, I totally feel your frustration! I went through the exact same thing a few months back - got hit with that confusing "TAX REFUND PROC for RFND DISB" description and was missing about $900 from my expected refund. It's such a punch to the gut when you're counting on that money! Everyone here has given you solid advice about calling 800-304-3107 - that Treasury Offset Program hotline is definitely your fastest bet to find out what's going on. I used it and found out within 2 minutes that I had an old overpayment from unemployment benefits during COVID that I'd completely forgotten about. One thing I'd add is to not panic if it turns out to be a legitimate debt. Even if the offset is valid, many agencies have programs that can help. In my case, I was able to get about half of my offset refunded because I qualified for a financial hardship waiver. It took some paperwork and a few phone calls, but I got $450 back about 6 weeks later. The "TAX REFUND PROC for RFND DISB" part is totally normal - that's just Treasury's standard description for ALL tax refunds. The real issue is that missing $1,100, but at least you'll have answers soon once you make that call. Keep us posted on what you find out!

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