Fixing an Incorrect or Erroneous Refund
A surprise refund in the middle of summer from the IRS quickly raises suspicions “this might not be a good thing”. However, refunds for less than anticipated are more common. Missing refunds top the list.
Before you panic, refunds have a general time table. If your refund is AWOL you might need to practice patience first. If it’s been less than three weeks since you e-filed (six week for paper filed returns) you need to wait a bit longer. Calling the IRS will waste a good portion of your day only to hear the friendly IRS employee say you need to wait at least 21 days before they can do anything.