How does the IRS spell a name wrong?

[Drake3287]

Nothing overly important but I sort of wonder how this happens and it's happened several times with the IRS. My daughters legal name is Lindsey with an e. Her taxes are done based on it being spelt with an e, even her State return check is spelled correctly but when she gets a Federal Tax return it's always spelt Lindsay with an a.

How does a system that's so automated get it wrong every time? I can see it now, 40 years from now she'll apply for SS or Medicare and the system won't have any record of her! Something so simple but hard to correct!

[creditcardfree]

What does her social security card/birth certificate and other legal documents say? They had to have had it from somewhere I would think.

[97guns]

IRS is always making mistakes more than 1 time they have not credited my moms account with her estimated tax payments, she had to send in cancelled checks, one time her funds were entered into someone else's acct.

[scfr]

IRS is always making mistakes more than 1 time they have not credited my moms account with her estimated tax payments, she had to send in cancelled checks, one time her funds were entered into someone else's acct.

Does she send in the pre-filled-out 1040-ES forms and write her SS# + tax year/1040-ES/payment number (1-4) on the memo line?

[scfr]

I can see it now, 40 years from now she'll apply for SS or Medicare and the system won't have any record of her! Something so simple but hard to correct!

Has she gone to www.socialsecurity.gov and run the Retirement Estimator to see if the Social Security Administration has her name spelled correctly in their system?

[Drake3287]

Interesting idea about logging into that SS web site, I'll have to have her try it.

[GrimJack]

Nothing overly important but I sort of wonder how this happens and it's happened several times with the IRS. My daughters legal name is Lindsey with an e. Her taxes are done based on it being spelt with an e, even her State return check is spelled correctly but when she gets a Federal Tax return it's always spelt Lindsay with an a.

How does a system that's so automated get it wrong every time? I can see it now, 40 years from now she'll apply for SS or Medicare and the system won't have any record of her! Something so simple but hard to correct!

Look at the tax return; did you do your taxes or did you have a preparer do them? Neither the SSA nor the IRS give much of a, er, darn what or how the first name is spelled. The IRS goes by what is on the return so look at the return.

[GrimJack]

IRS is always making mistakes more than 1 time they have not credited my moms account with her estimated tax payments, she had to send in cancelled checks, one time her funds were entered into someone else's acct.

If she had called, they would have asked for the info on the back of the check, seen where it was posted, and moved it where it belongs. Yes, the IRS makes mistakes but so do the taxpayers. She should send her payments in with a voucher, annotate the checks correctly, or use Direct Pay on IRS.GOV.

If the IRS receives a check w/o a SS# and/or the correct instructions on where to apply it, checks can go astray but it can always be corrected.

[GrimJack]

Interesting idea about logging into that SS web site, I'll have to have her try it.

Setting up her own Social Security account online is pretty neat. I set mine up and can look back at my mis-spent youth - there were years where I had no income (I was homeless for a bit after I was discharged). And she can see if there is anything reported that is not hers. Heck, you could set up yours to get an estimate on what your SS income will be.