In this case, the IRS will audit you to figure out whether your return is accurate. If you prove to the IRS that you correctly took the deductions and/or credits, the IRS will issue your refund or corrected refund. The IRS can freeze your refund if it’s auditing your past tax returns and thinks you’ll owe additional taxes in the audit.
What happens if I send in more than I owe to the IRS?
According to irs.gov, If you overpaid tax, you can have all or part of the overpayment refunded to you, or you can apply all or part of it to your estimated tax. If you choose to get a refund, it will be sent separately from any refund shown on your original return.
What happens if I owe a balance from my taxes last year?
If I owe a balance from my taxes last year, will the IRS take what I owe out of my current refund and refund me the rest? That will happen no matter whether you e-file or mail in your return. The IRS will offset your refund if you owe back taxes.
Can you receive a tax refund if you are on an installment plan?
Can I receive a tax refund if I am currently making payments under an installment agreement or payment plan for another federal tax period? Answer No, one of the conditions of your installment agreement is that the IRS will automatically apply any refund (or overpayment) due to you against taxes you owe.
What happens if I claim an erroneous tax return?
If the IRS thinks you claimed erroneous deductions or credits, the IRS can hold your refund. In this case, the IRS will audit you to figure out whether your return is accurate. If you prove to the IRS that you correctly took the deductions and/or credits, the IRS will issue your refund or corrected refund.
How long will it take the IRS to review my refund?
When the IRS processes your tax return and approves your refund, you can see your actual personalized refund date. Even though the IRS issues most refunds in less than 21 days after we receive your tax return, it’s possible your tax return may require additional review and take longer.