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.