TWC appeal hearing wait time for overpayment - will it mess up my tax refund?

I went through this exact nightmare last year. Filed my appeal in April and didn't get a hearing until OCTOBER! That's 6 full months of anxiety and the TWC agent told me that was 'normal' for their backlog. My tax refund DID get intercepted even though my appeal was still pending - they took the full amount they claimed I owed ($1,900) and I had to fight to get it back after I won my appeal. The whole system is designed to wear you down so you'll just give up and pay.

The appeal process is definitely slower than it should be, but there are a few things you can do while waiting: 1. Make sure you've submitted EVERY document that supports your case through your TWC account portal (check the "Appeals" section) 2. File Form 9465 with the IRS (Installment Agreement Request) before tax season - this can sometimes prevent automatic offsets while a dispute is in progress 3. Contact your state representative's office - they have special TWC liaisons who can sometimes expedite appeal hearings I had a client whose hearing took 4 months to schedule, but we were able to cut that to 6 weeks after involving their state rep. Worth trying!

ya mine took 7 months and it was during covid so maybe its faster now? idk but definetly write down EVERYTHING for your hearing date. the judge asked me tons of specific questions about dates and amounts that i wasn't expecting. good luck!!

To answer your specific question about tax refunds: Yes, an unresolved overpayment determination can absolutely impact your tax refund through the Treasury Offset Program. The TWC can certify the debt to the IRS even while an appeal is pending. However, you can take proactive steps: 1. File a "Request to Defer Collection" specifically mentioning your pending appeal. This form isn't on the TWC website but you can request it by calling. 2. Document EVERYTHING. Keep records of all communications with TWC regarding your appeal status. 3. If you're approaching tax season without resolution, you can also file IRS Form 8379 (Injured Spouse Allocation) if you file jointly with a spouse who isn't subject to the offset. Based on current TWC appeal timelines, you're looking at approximately 4-7 months total wait time from your June filing, so you should hopefully receive a hearing notice within the next 2 months.

After WEEKS of trying to get through to TWC about my overpayment appeal (constant busy signals, disconnects, etc), I finally found a service called Claimyr that got me connected to an actual TWC agent in about 20 minutes. The agent was able to tell me exactly where my appeal was in the process and gave me a rough timeframe. Saved me so much stress! Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/V-IMvH88P1U?si=kNxmh025COIlIzKh

WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT IGNORE THIS!!!! I thought my appeal would protect my tax refund and I was WRONG. They took $3400 from my refund last year even though I had documentation proving I was right. After I finally won my appeal (took 8 months btw), it took ANOTHER 3 months to get my refund back. The system is BROKEN!!!!

I think these timelines everyone's sharing are pessimistic. My appeal only took about 6 weeks to get scheduled last year. But I did call them every single week for updates and I submitted a hardship letter explaining that the overpayment determination was causing me severe financial and emotional distress. I also prepared an extremely detailed appeal letter with specific references to TWC rules and policies. The hearing examiner actually commented that my preparation helped speed things up. Don't just passively wait - be proactive!

The waiting is the worst part! Just a heads up that when you do finally get your hearing, it will probably be over the phone. Make sure you're in a quiet place and have ALL your documents ready. Mine lasted about 30 minutes and the hearing officer was actually pretty fair. I won my case by showing my work search documentation that proved I was eligible. The determination letter came about 2 weeks after the hearing.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - filed my appeal in August for a $1,200 overpayment and still waiting. The stress is unreal! One thing that helped me was setting up automatic payments into a separate savings account for the amount they claim I owe, just in case they do intercept my tax refund. That way I'm not scrambling if it happens. Also, I've been documenting every phone call attempt with dates and times - even the busy signals and hang-ups. My tax preparer said this documentation could be helpful if I need to dispute the offset with the IRS later. Hang in there - sounds like you have solid documentation on your side!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now and the anxiety is killing me! Filed my appeal in July for a $1,800 overpayment that I know is wrong - they're claiming I didn't report wages that I absolutely did report through their system. Still no hearing date and it's been almost 5 months. What's really frustrating is that I called last week and the agent told me appeals are taking 6-8 months now due to staffing issues, which means I definitely won't have this resolved before tax season. I'm terrified they're going to take my refund while my appeal is still pending. Has anyone had success with that "Request to Defer Collection" form that Eloise mentioned? I tried asking about it when I called but the phone agent had never heard of it. Also wondering if it's worth paying for that Claimyr service just to get through to someone who might actually know what they're talking about. At this point I'm willing to try anything to get some real answers instead of the runaround I keep getting. The whole system seems designed to make us give up and just pay money we don't owe. Stay strong everyone - we shouldn't have to pay for their mistakes!

I'm dealing with this same nightmare right now and honestly, reading everyone's experiences is both helpful and terrifying! Filed my appeal in late July for a $2,100 overpayment (they claim I didn't report part-time work that I absolutely DID report through their online system - I even have screenshots). It's been 4+ months and still no hearing date. What's really gotten to me is how inconsistent the information is when you finally do get through to someone. One agent told me 4-6 months, another said 6-8 months, and a third one acted like she had no idea and just said "it depends." The lack of transparency is maddening when you're trying to plan financially. I'm definitely going to try some of the suggestions here - especially looking into that deferral request and the Claimyr service. At this point I'm willing to pay a small fee if it means actually talking to someone who knows what they're doing instead of getting the same scripted responses. Samuel, I really feel for you on the tax refund worry. I'm in the same boat needing that money for upcoming expenses. It's so unfair that we have to stress about losing money we're entitled to while fighting overpayment claims that are their mistake in the first place. The whole system really does feel designed to make us give up and just pay whatever they demand.

I'm going through this exact same situation and it's absolutely maddening! Filed my appeal in September for a $1,650 overpayment claim that's completely bogus - they're saying I didn't report temporary work income that I definitely reported through their portal. I even have email confirmations from when I submitted the wage information. What's really grinding my gears is that I've called 47 times (yes, I'm counting) and only gotten through to an actual person 3 times. Each time they give me different information about wait times. First agent said 3-4 months, second said 6+ months, and the third couldn't even find my appeal in the system at first! The tax refund situation has me losing sleep. I'm supposed to get about $2,800 back and I need every penny for car repairs and medical bills. The idea that they could just snatch it away while I'm still fighting their mistake is beyond infuriating. I'm definitely going to try that Claimyr service after seeing so many recommendations here. At this point, paying a small fee to actually talk to someone competent sounds like money well spent. Also going to look into that deferral request form - even if the phone agents don't know about it, maybe someone higher up does. Stay strong everyone! We shouldn't have to suffer financially because of their incompetence and broken system.