Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

sciguyCO t1_j6ovnx5 wrote

Your payments to the IRS get applied to a specific year's tax bill. You do have a $400 overpayment for 2021, which you should continue to pursue. But that is not something you can factor onto the 2022 return you're doing now.

The only mechanism I'm aware of that's even close to your situation is if you had ended your 2021 return with a refund that you then chose to apply towards your 2022 estimated tax payments. I believe your situation might be able to resolved in a similar way (count that 2021 credit of $400 as a payment for 2022's tax bill), but only after the IRS explicitly acknowledges that you're owed it. Yes, we know you are owed it but paperwork is inevitable and slow. And it feels like it might be too late for that $400 to be applied to your 2022 taxes, and probably isn't something you'd be interested in putting off until 2023's.

2

lookingripe OP t1_j6ow5o3 wrote

I’ll continue trying to contact the IRS then, which is almost a feat in itself. I kind of have given up on ever getting this $400 back, but will keep trying.

1

sciguyCO t1_j6oz5js wrote

I wouldn't give up all hope, but it may boil down to effort required vs. how fast you want those dollars back. It does look simple from your side: you owed $X for your 2021 tax bill and paid them a total of $X + $400. That's (hopefully) documented in their system. I feel it's very likely the IRS will catch this themselves eventually. But "eventually" with an agency that seems to be continuously overworked / understaffed can be a while. Especially right now when they're primarily focused on 2022's tax season.

So while that mistake last year won't help with this year's return, it is still your money. And the IRS doesn't generally want to keep money they're not owed.

2

lookingripe OP t1_j6p64jv wrote

Appreciate the encouragement. I’ll stick with it.

I’ll update this thread if I ever see that money back.

1