I filed electronically but my tax return was rejected. What do I do now?

Your next action depends on the reason your return was rejected. If you made a mistake in entering the social security number or misspelled a name, you can fix these errors and have the return sent again to the IRS. There are other errors that will cause you to have to file using a paper return. If you have further questions, you can call our Customer Service number at 1-800-829-1040. For general information about e-file, refer to Tax Topic 252, Electronic Filing.

My electronic tax return keeps getting rejected for a dependent's social security number used more than once or on another return. I have verified the social security numbers of all my dependents with the Social Security Administration and no one else is authorized to claim our children on their taxes. How do I correct this error so that an e-file return will go through?

Unfortunately, you will need to file a paper return this year. Do not send any documents that are not required with your tax return. Whether the cause of this rejection is the result of a typo on another return or an attempt by another party to claim your dependent, the IRS has security measures in place to ensure the accuracy of returns submitted. In such cases, the IRS will question the dependency exemptions claimed by any other party using the wrong social security number. For general information about e-file, refer to Tax Topic 252, Electronic Filing.