Will I get refunded if I overpaid my back taxes from last year?

Yes, you'll get your money back if you overpaid your back taxes. The IRS will either refund the overpayment or apply it to any other tax you might owe. Since you're 20, they'll most likely just issue you a refund directly. When you pay more than what you owe in back taxes (including the penalties and interest), the IRS processes this as a credit to your account. They'll usually automatically issue a refund check for the excess amount within a few weeks. However, if you have any other outstanding tax debt or unfiled returns, they might keep it and apply it to those balances first. Also, if you're going to be filing another tax return soon, you could request they apply it as a credit toward your next tax return.

I went through something similar with back taxes last year and found this tool that really helped me understand my situation better. I was confused about my overpayment and penalties, and ended up using https://taxr.ai to help me sort through everything. It basically analyzed my IRS notices and payment history, then explained exactly what I owed, what I had paid, and what would happen with my overpayment. Saved me hours of frustration trying to understand all the tax jargon and calculations. The best part was it showed me how the penalties and interest were calculated, so I knew exactly where my money was going.

Just wanted to update everyone. I decided to try that https://taxr.ai tool the other commenter mentioned and wow, I'm actually impressed. I uploaded my notice showing I'd overpaid my back taxes by about $138, and it explained exactly what would happen - that the IRS would automatically process a refund but it might take 6-8 weeks. The tool also showed me how to track my refund and what to do if it didn't show up after that timeframe. What I really liked was how it explained the different penalties that had been applied to my account - there were actually THREE different types that I didn't even realize! Definitely cleared up my confusion about why the amount I owed was so different from what I expected.

If you're having trouble getting through to the IRS to check on your refund status, I'd recommend trying https://claimyr.com - it's been a game changer for me. I spent weeks trying to get through to the IRS about my overpaid back taxes and kept hitting dead ends. Claimyr basically holds your place in the IRS phone queue and calls you back when an agent is about to answer. I was super frustrated trying to check on my overpayment refund, but with this I got through to a real person in about 45 minutes instead of spending hours on hold. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent I spoke with confirmed my overpayment would be refunded and even expedited the process when I explained my situation. Saved me so much time and stress.

OK I need to apologize and eat my words. After posting that skeptical comment, I was desperate enough to try Claimyr and it actually worked. Got through to the IRS in about 30 minutes after trying for literally months on my own. The agent confirmed that my overpayment of back taxes ($275) had been processed but was stuck in their system waiting for review. She was able to release the hold while I was on the phone and said I should see my refund in 2-3 weeks. Would NEVER have gotten this resolved without actually talking to someone. For anyone wondering about the original question - yes, you absolutely get your money back if you overpay back taxes, but sometimes you need to nudge them to process it if it's been more than 6 weeks.

Just an FYI - the IRS should send you a letter explaining any adjustments they make to your payment. So if you sent in that extra amount, they'll eventually send a notice showing how much was applied to taxes, how much to penalties, how much to interest, and what's left over. The leftover amount will either be refunded or applied to other taxes you might owe. If you have an online account with the IRS, you can also check your account transcripts to see if the overpayment is sitting there as a credit. Look for a code 846 with a negative amount next to it - that would indicate a refund being issued.

Can I just say how messed up it is that a 20 year old has to deal with back taxes in the first place? The tax system is so complicated even for simple situations. The IRS should make things more clear about overpayments and just automatically refund money that's not owed without making people chase after it.

I completely understand your situation - dealing with back taxes at 20 is stressful enough without worrying about whether you'll get your overpayment back! The good news is that yes, the IRS will refund you that extra $50 (or however much you actually overpaid once they calculate everything). Here's what typically happens: The IRS will apply your $225 payment to your original tax debt, then to penalties, then to interest. Whatever's left over becomes a credit on your account that they'll automatically refund to you, usually within 6-8 weeks of processing your payment. Since you estimated high to be safe, you were actually being smart - it's better to overpay than underpay and get hit with additional penalties. Just keep an eye on your mailbox for either a refund check or a notice explaining how they applied your payment. If you don't hear anything after 8 weeks, that's when I'd recommend calling them to check on the status. The fact that you're being proactive about this at 20 shows good financial responsibility. Don't stress too much - you'll get your money back!