Interest on tax overpay

[gekkoplus]

I recently got a mail from IRS stating that I have earned $60 in taxes as a result of overpayment of my taxes during 2007. I was wondering how would they know that I overpaid - I have not yet filed my tax returns for 2007.

Also, there was no check enclosed in the mail - how will I get those $60? Along with 2007 tax refund amount??

[sweeps]

The IRS doesn't pay interest on a tax overpayment. Someone may be scamming you.

[PrincessPerky]

I got a statement saying the IRS paid me interest...from IRS in Indiana...

Not a check, just a statement.

[saversaba08]

PrincessPerky,

Did you get this in an email? irs.gov has posted a warning about scam emails on their home page. I would proceed most carefully.

saversaba

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

gekkoplus, that is sounding fishy. Careful.

PrincessPerky, are you even in Indiana? If so, could you please tell me if "IRS Indiana" is really what the state calls their tax collecting agency? I had a phone call a while back from someone identifying themselves as being from the same and asking for someone who had lived with me years ago. They ended up being a little rude when I did not have info to give out on the person they were looking for. Perhaps they were not really from a state agency anyway.

[MonkeyMama]

Actually an IRS does pay interest on refunds if they are paid after 45 days after filing (something like that).

Sending a notice without payment seems odd, but the IRS is not terribly efficient. I've seen stranger with them...

However, what makes this a real red flag is it is from 2007 and you did not file yet. Sounds fishy. It's good to warn everyone. & to remind everyone that the IRS does not send e-mails.

I've personally never seen an interest payment from the IRS that didn't come with a check attached. But like I said, doesn't mean they don't do it. It sounds like something the IRS would do.

No but really this one sounds fishy. Just be careful.

[gekkoplus]

I received a "snail mail" and not "e-mail".. Sorry for the confusion..

I just carefully looked at it. It is in fact Form 1099 that they sent to me. The letter looks pretty legit and senders info is - IRS Dpartment of the Treasury, Fresno, CA.

It has my SSN, Calender Year number 2007, Payer's Federal ID etc. (In this case, payer will be IRS itself right?)

And the brief message goes like this -

"This information is being furnished to the appropriate department of IRS. The amount of interest paid or credited to you in calender year shown is on an overpayment of federal tax. This amount may represent interest on an overpayment for more than one year, or more than one kind of tax. It may have been paid with your tax refund or by separate check; or part or all may have been applied against other taxes you owed. If you are required to file a tax return, report this interest as income on your return"

Not that I don't want this money, but I would also want the principal back just in case it is sitting with IRS from past couple of years..

[adaway]

gekkoplus,

I am sure you thought of this already, but why don't you just call the IRS and ask them?