For many people, tax season is not even on their mental radars. After all, it is September, which means football season and the start of a new school year. Nevertheless, it is never too early to plan for tax season, as it will come sooner than you think. In fact, there are many people who are already planning on what they will do with their federal income tax refund check.
But what happens when your check is smaller, or larger, than what you expected; especially if you know that you completed your tax return correctly? This post will provide a brief explanation.
In these situations, you will receive a written explanation about the discrepancy. The reasons may vary, such as math errors (that either you, or the IRS) made in calculating your refund. The IRS may also cite incorrect credits or deductions that were used in the form. Also, there may be other deductions that you may not have included because you owe them independent of your return, such as prior tax debt or student loans.
Regardless of whether your refund check is too large or too small, you may have questions about whether you should cash the check. If the check is too little, and you are expecting a supplement, there should be no problem in cashing it. However, if the check is larger than what was expected, it is better to wait on hearing from the IRS. After all, you may be expected to return the overpayment.
If you have additional questions about refund check problems, an experienced tax attorney can help.
The preceding is not legal advice