Amid the approaching April 15 tax‑filing deadline in the US, taxpayers who have received a rejection from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on their electronically filed returns are being urged to act quickly to fix errors and resubmit, otherwise, their refunds could be delayed.
A rejection means the IRS did not accept the return, and it is not considered filed until corrections are made.
According to recent data from the National Taxpayer Advocate, nearly 18 million e‑filed tax returns filed by individuals were rejected in the 2024 filing season.
Most of these rejections stemmed from relatively simple errors such as incorrect Social Security numbers, misspelled names, missing required forms, or mismatches with prior‑year identity verification data.
How do you figure out that your tax return has been rejected?
When a return is rejected, the IRS assigns an error code that explains the specific issue. Taxpayers typically receive confirmation of acceptance or rejection within 24 to 48 hours after filing.
Many tax software programs, like TurboTax and others, also send notifications via email or in‑app alerts. Additionally, filers can check their status using the IRS’s “Where’s My Refund?” tool or by logging into their IRS online account.
Some of the most common triggers for rejection include missing forms such as Form 8962 for Premium Tax Credit claims, invalid Identity Protection PINs, duplicate filings, and discrepancies in Social Security numbers or dependent information. Further, mismatches with prior‑year adjusted gross income, a common verification item, often cause returns to be flagged.
How can you fix a rejected tax return?
To fix a rejected return, taxpayers should carefully review the rejection notice, correct the identified issues, and resubmit the return as soon as possible. Most rejected returns, over 70% in 2024, were ultimately accepted electronically after corrections.
If a return is rejected because it appears to be a duplicate filing, it could indicate potential identity theft, and in that case, the IRS may contact the taxpayer by mail with further instructions.
It’s important to remember that if a rejection occurs close to the filing deadline, taxpayers generally have five days to correct and resubmit electronically to avoid penalties.
In some cases, especially if the same error keeps recurring, a paper return may be required and must be postmarked by the due date to be considered timely.