What Causes My E-File Tax Return to Be Denied?

There’s no doubt, being able to file your federal taxes electronically with the IRS is a time-saver at tax time. However, when your e-filed tax return is denied, electronically filed returns through services such as TurboTax can go from convenient to frustrating – and quickly. Your electronically filed tax return can be rejected for a number of reasons, usually due only to typos and simple mistakes. IRS rejection codes can help you better understand the specific reasons for your return being denied.

Making sure your tax return is filed correctly starts with ensuring the information is accurate. One of the most common mistakes that taxpayers who e-file make is accidentally misspelling their name or entering their Social Security number incorrectly. This may seem like a simple mistake, however, the IRS uses the name provided on your tax forms to match against your Social Security number. A simple typo of your name on your W-4 or W-2 can make a service such as TurboTax unable to e file. Also, when filing jointly, be sure to report the primary taxpayer’s name and Social Security number, as listed on tax documents. If you claim taxes with your spouse and you're the primary taxpayer, an incorrect spousal Social Security number can also cause a rejection, because the names or Social Security numbers will not match.

Another cause for rejection is the case in which someone else claims a dependent whom you’ve also claimed on your tax return. The IRS allows for dependents to be claimed only on one person’s return. If both parents are eligible claim a dependent, then the IRS will use the tie-breaker rule to determine which parent qualifies to claim the child. This type of error can also occur when a dependent files taxes and claims an exemption for himself, as only one Social Security Number can be filed on any returns.

When you report your income when you e-file, it should match the amount reported on your W-2. Although you won’t have your return rejected if the amounts aren’t exactly the same, you will have your return rejected if you under-report income. This can be a basic oversight, miscalculation error or other mistake while transferring information from your W-2 when you're e-filing.

Along with your rejection, you’ll also receive IRS rejection codes that let you know why your return was rejected. And, as you can imagine, the list of codes is extensive. You can go online and find IRS federal income tax return error code searches to determine the reason this error code was generated. When you know the reason why your return was denied, you can then take steps to rectify the issues. Only after these issues are resolved can you receive TurboTax refund status updates.

Some issues simply require that you correct the errors and submit your electronic filing again, while other errors require you to make corrections and re-submit your return by mail. If at any time you are unsure of why your return was rejected, or you need further help reconciling any errors, you can contact the IRS’ Telephone Assistance at 800-829-1040 for further guidance.