The IRS cashed my 2007 check for taxes owed, but has lost my return, copy of it mailed, what next?

Question

I mailed my return and payment on April 14th, and my check was cashed by the IRS on April 17th. As of 6/6/2008, the IRS has no record of receiving my return, just cashed my check. They advised me to mail a copy of everything I originally sent them (including a copy of the canceled check) which I did. Do I have any recourse, because now my stimulus payment will be later, and I am worried their negligence will cause more problems. What next?

Answer 1

Just send them the info. No, you have no recourse.  There is no particular time when you are supposed to have your stimulus payment except that they will all be out by the end of the year, by law.  Since you didn't mail your return until 4/14, even if they hadn't lost it you would have been far too late to have had it processed in time to get your check by the currently published schedule - for that, it had to be PROCESSED by 4/15.  The first round goes until mid July, and the last minute filers will receive their checks sometime after that, so if you mail it now, it might not be any later than if the problem hadn't occurred.

Since you have the cancelled check for your payment, there aren't likely to be more questions over when you sent it, so there shouldn't be more problems.  It's possible that it isn't even lost, just still sitting waiting to be entered.

Answer 2

I'm surprised they told you to send in a copy. Normally, they have you wait until it's been 10 weeks. It's not at all uncommon for a return that was mailed on April 14 to not be processed yet, especially if it's a balance due return. Unfortunately, I suspect your first return will be processed soon, then the duplicate will delay your stimulus check.

Answer 3

I had the same thing happen to me!  I called to see when my stimulus check would arrive and I was informed that my check was received and cashed, but my returns were not received.  I have the certified mail receipt as well.  There is absolutely nothing we can do about this.  I have been on hold for over an hour to speak to someone in the IRS so they can tell me to resend my taxes.  This is complete incompetence, to lose so many but they didn't lose the payments did they! I mailed my return on april 14th as well to the Hartford CT address.  It was received on April 18th.  There is nothing we can do and it just makes me so angry.

Answer 4

Recourse?  You haven't suffered any harm.  So your stimulus is delayed.  BIG DEAL.

The fact that the IRS has cashed your check generally proves they opened the envelope.  If the check was enough to cover the taxes owed, you won't get hit with any late fees or penalties.  (With your luck, the IRS will find both returns and then decide they need another 8-12 weeks to verify that they are in fact the same return.)