What happens if you accidentally pay the wrong amount of taxes?

Asked by: Al Trantow  |  Last update: March 24, 2025
Score: 4.9/5 (28 votes)

In most cases, the IRS will make sure you receive a tax overpayment refund if you overpay on your taxes. There are several options if you need to contact the IRS about your tax overpayment. You can call the toll-free telephone service at 1-800-829-1040 for answers to federal tax questions.

What if you pay the wrong amount of taxes?

You should file an amended return if there is an error or change in your filing status, income, deductions or credits. However, the IRS may automatically correct math errors on a return, and may accept returns with certain forms or schedules left out. In these cases, you do not need to amend your return.

What happens if you accidentally pay taxes wrong?

To Correct a Tax Return Mistake, File an Amendment

Your next move: file an amended tax return. Simply put, an amended return is usually filed because something was incomplete, incorrect or omitted from the original tax return.

Can I reverse a payment to the IRS?

Call IRS e-file Payment Services 24/7 at 888-353-4537 to inquire about or cancel your payment, but please wait 7 to 10 days after your return was accepted before calling. Cancellation requests must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. ET two business days prior to the scheduled payment date.

What happens if you accidentally overpay your taxes?

You get an overpayment credit when your tax payments exceed what you owe. You'll automatically receive a refund of the credit. However, you can ask us to apply the credit as an advance payment towards next year's taxes instead of sending it to you as a refund.

The Simple "Borrow til you Die' Tax Strategy

31 related questions found

Does the IRS care if you overpay?

If you overpay your taxes, the IRS will simply return the excess to you as a refund. Generally, it takes about three weeks for the IRS to process and issue refunds.

What if I paid my taxes twice?

Ideally, your return and both payments will process, and the overpayment will be automatically refunded back to you as a paper check. If you don't have that check in hand within six to eight weeks, call IRS customer service and speak with a representative.

Can I cancel an IRS payment online?

With Direct Pay, you can view details on your payment and you can change or cancel your payment using the Look Up a Payment feature up to two business days before the payment date. All online tax payment options are fast and easy to use.

How do I correct an overpayment to the IRS?

Filing an amended return is different than filling out your ordinary 1040 tax return. You'll need to use Form 1040-X. Mark the tax year you're correcting and explain the reason for the amendment.

Can I get a payment reversed?

If either a consumer or a vendor notices something is wrong with the payment, they can contact the bank to stop the transaction going through. This is typically the payment reversal type which involves the least hassle for both customers and businesses.

Does the IRS always catch mistakes?

Does the IRS Catch All Mistakes? No, the IRS probably won't catch all mistakes. But it does run tax returns through a number of processes to catch math errors and odd income and expense reporting.

Who is responsible if your taxes are wrong?

Am I Responsible If My Tax Preparer Makes a Mistake? Yes. If you signed on the bottom line, you are responsible for a mistake on your tax returns and you are on the hook for any penalties the IRS charges. That said, the professional who prepared your return may offer to reimburse you for any losses due to errors.

How do I correct a tax payment made to the wrong year?

If you need to make a change or adjustment on a return already filed, you can file an amended return. Use Form 1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, and follow the instructions.

What is the most common mistake made on taxes?

Read below for some of the most common tax mistakes and learn how to avoid making them when you file.
  1. Filing past the deadline. ...
  2. Forgetting to file quarterly estimated taxes. ...
  3. Leaving out (or messing up) essential information. ...
  4. Failing to double-check your math. ...
  5. Missing out on a potential tax break.

What happens if you don't pay taxes correctly?

If you don't pay the amount shown as tax you owe on your return, we calculate the failure to pay penalty in this way: The failure to pay penalty is 0.5% of the unpaid taxes for each month or part of a month the tax remains unpaid.

What happens if you accidentally do your taxes wrong?

If you made a mistake on your tax return, you need to correct it with the IRS. To correct the error, you would need to file an amended return with the IRS. If you fail to correct the mistake, you may be charged penalties and interest. You can file the amended return yourself or have a professional prepare it for you.

How do I correct an overpayment?

How To Correct a Payroll Overpayment
  1. Step 1: Gather Data. Before taking any action to correct overpaid wages, you'll need to get your facts straight. ...
  2. Step 2: Check State Laws and Company Policies. ...
  3. Step 3: Notify the Employee. ...
  4. Step 4: Discuss Repayment Options with the Employee. ...
  5. Step 5: Adjust your payroll.

How do I correct an IRS mistake?

To amend a return, file Form 1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. You can use tax software to electronically file your 1040-X online. Submit all the same forms and schedules as you did when you filed your original Form 1040 even if you don't have adjustments on them.

What is the penalty for overpayment of taxes?

Is there a penalty for overpaying your taxes? There's no consequence from the IRS if you overpay, although it might not sit well with you knowing that you gave more money to the IRS than was needed. The good news is that you'll most likely receive a tax refund, so your money will be safe and sound after all.

Can you reverse a tax payment?

Your only option is to cancel the payment and choose a different payment method. The IRS requests that you call their e-file payment services at 888-353-4537. Additionally, cancellation requests cannot be received later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time two business days prior to your scheduled payment date.

What is the minimum payment the IRS will accept?

The IRS minimum monthly payment is typically your total tax debt divided by 72 unless you specify a different amount. Short-term and long-term payment plans are available, depending on your debt amount and eligibility. Setting up a direct debit payment plan online is the most cost-effective option.

Can you cancel a payment made online?

Can you cancel a pending transaction online? Usually, no. Unless you've sent a payment via PayPal to an unrecognized email or phone number, you'll need to contact the merchant to have them cancel the pending transaction.

How do I contact the IRS about a duplicate payment?

Please contact IRS e-file payment services at 1-888-353-4537. Representatives are available 24 hours a day/7 days a week to assist you with your duplicate payment.

What to do if payment is done twice?

The merchant should refund the excess amount you've paid after checking their payment records. In the unlikely event that the merchant refuses to refund the amount, please contact your bank directly and raise a complaint with the Unique Transaction Reference (UTR) number for the relevant payment.

What happens if I accidentally file my taxes twice?

If a second tax return is submitted under the same social security number, the subsequent return will be flagged by the IRS's automated system, the return will be rejected, and an explanation and error code will be sent to you.