Help: spouse SSN not matching name control on e-file database

Hi there,
I'm after some advice. My e-file through H&R Block Expat service was rejected by the IRS for the following reason:

"Spouse SSN and Spouse Name Control in the return must match the e-File database."

This may also explain why in submission of last year's paper return (2020), they have not sent my refund due. I recall the last Agent I spoke to on the phone said something about maybe a problem with my wife's SSN.

Here is the history and why I am struggling with how to rectify:

My wife's SSN is correct on the form I submitted and her current name is correct - it matches ALL previous filings I have made (all paper) to date.

We were married in 2011, within the following months she changed her surname in the UK and with the US (Passport etc via US embassy).  I first started filing US taxes for both of us when we found out as USC we were required to file, in February 2016, where I used the OSVD procedure to file the current (then 2015) and prior 3 years (and 7 years of FBAR). This was accepted.

I then filed taxes as MFJ for both of us for every year following this. From 2017 onwards until last year, I claimed the additional child tax credit so received a refund sent in our shared surname (wife's married name). I also received the first stimulus cheque in our names.

Therefore, every year until last year from 2017 I have successfully filed using my wife's married name and her SSN - all of which are the same on this year's return. Last year I still haven't received my refund due (2020 filing) which may be due to this issue (I paper filed).

How can this be rectified? Why would the IRS accept my wife's name and SSN for 2012-2019 but suddenly now in 2021 (and possibly 2020) no longer recognise the surname associated with the SSN? I have checked my records from 2012-2020 and the SSN and name are identical to this filing.

Any advice and thoughts would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

A couple of thoughts.

When her name changed then probably she should have requested a new SS card under her new name.

https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ss-5.pdf

or via her SS account

https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/replacement-card.html

I would probably also ask the Federal Benefits Unit at the US Embassy about getting her SS record updated if her name and SSN no longer match.  You can call them and/or send a secure message.

https://uk.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/federal-benefits/contacting-the-london-federal-benefits-unit/

Thanks for this, DL.

I have emailed the US embassy as suggested to ask what she should do. I presume if we get this rectified, we can just resubmit our IRS 2021 return and it should match up (if indeed this is the case!).

In order to request this online (far preferable), I either have to create a login.gov or an ID.me account. Is the login.gov easier for her to do? The ID.me was a bit complex when I did it...

Many thanks!

I did ID.me recently and I agree that it was a real pain.  Worth it for me so I can see our IRS returns at last.

I created my SS account many years ago while living in the USA and it was very easy, but it no doubt will be more difficult for a UK resident if you don't have a US address.  The 2FA code to log onto my SS account is via email so no issues with needing a mobile phone.  When the SS account was first created the 2FA was via text, but so many elderly in the USA objected because they didn't have the ability to receive a text that they switched to a code via the email the account is registered under.

I agree, I also did ID.me and was defo worth it but I am the primary filer for tax and getting my wife to do anything that spends time on the IRS filing is blood from a stone, so trying to minimise the effort required... 

Update - H&R Block just stated that the surname should match what is on the SSN card, and that this is different for e-filing than paper filing. They didn't seem phased by the idea that I revert to her maiden name for the purposes of filing even though it has legally changed, so I have resubmitted that way for 2021, see if it gets through, and look to change the name associated with the SSN later this year.

This raises a qu: it may be that this is the source of my issue with no refund from last year (not sure why it didn't affect previous years paper filings though...), so the question becomes, do I re-submit 2020's forms? Do I do this as an amendment (PITA) or just resend it in with the new surname explaining on a cover letter the change??

With your new IRS account can you see 2020 return?  If not can you query the IRS about the 2020 return and refund payment?

With my new IRS account I can see that my 2020 return is accepted and processed. This was the  first year that instead of asking for a refund I asked for it to be applied as an estimated payment against the 2021 payments, and this was a paper return. I always knew when a return had been accepted when I received a refund or the money owed was taken from my account but applying a refund to next year’s gives no feedback.

I filed streamlined for the first time at the end of last year. I used the married surname, but i don't think i ever formally changed my Social Security Card name. Will this be rejected? Should i apply for a name change now and hope it gets changed before the returns are processed?

I have used the SS card for other things like registering children for citizenship and renewing passports, i had no idea this may be an issue.

Any advice would be appreciated. Just when i thought i was on track 

With your new IRS account can you see 2020 return?  If not can you query the IRS about the 2020 return and refund payment?

With my new IRS account I can see that my 2020 return is accepted and processed. This was the  first year that instead of asking for a refund I asked for it to be applied as an estimated payment against the 2021 payments, and this was a paper return. I always knew when a return had been accepted when I received a refund or the money owed was taken from my account but applying a refund to next year’s gives no feedback.

Ha! So I've spent the last evening and this morning trying to access my transcripts and the IRS website is saying too much volume/busy/cannot process. Sometimes I eventually get to the transcripts page and then it fails to load the Account records.

When I last looked, all the info I supplied was there except they had $0 for 8812 and so changed my refund calculation I submitted of $2800 down to $0. I have resent in my 8812 as the suggestion is it was damaged/scanned incorrectly so considered no proof of ACTC (they have never sent me a letter saying they changed it), but that was back in Jan and don't know if they have processed it yet given how far the IRS are behind with their backlog. Also, I now am worried that it it not getting processed due to the disparity in my wife's SSN vs her married name. I am not sure how I can discriminate this from the transcripts (if I ever get through) on the IRS website...

So sorry to hear you having all this trouble and that the IRS online account system is so bad.

So sorry to hear you having all this trouble and that the IRS online account system is so bad.

Thanks, I finally managed to get through around 10am UK time this morning. Downloaded the transcript which has their adjustments. For payments, here is what is in there:



As you can see, I had down $2800 as a refundable credit. I 100% submitted 8812 (have resent this in Jan), but it is showing $0 for ACTC both for what I inputted, and what the IRS corrected ("PER COMPUTER") which suggests something was wrong with the 8812 submitted form in scanning/processing. As such, you can see the adjusted refund due is $0 (TOTAL PAYMENTS PER COMPUTER).

The other thing to note, is for the SSN at the top of the transcript, it reads:

TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER:                     XXX-XX-####
SPOUSE TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER:     XXX-XX-####*

Note the '*' at the end of the spous ID number (SSN). I wonder if this signifies that it doesn't match with their records for name. However, I do not believe this is the reason for lack of refund, due to (a) the fact that they have on the transcript $0 for 8812 from my submission (they haven't corrected this to $0 for the PER COMPUTER line) which suggests to me the Form 8812 was not processed correctly on receipt of the paper copy, and (b) prior years I have used the same name and SSN and received the refund.

I would have been tempted to resend the forms not as an amendment (1040X) but with the spouse surname changed to maiden name with a cover note explaining the discrepancy but I am thinking that is not a good idea and should wait longer to give time for me resending in form 8812 in Jan this year to process through the system. However, how will I know if/when they have received and processed my new 8812 with covering letter explaining?? I sent it tracked delivery so I know they received it...

The joys of the IRS! This year now as e-filing just to get it done, I have taken the suggestion of H&R Block expat and submitted my 2021 return with my wife's maiden name. Once it is processed, I will look to get her a new SSN card registered under her married name.

I know we/I haven't helped much but I certainly appreciate you keeping us updated on your efforts. If only it was possible to talk to an IRS agent directly about your return instead of you having to do all this detective guesswork as to what is going on.

I know we/I haven't helped much but I certainly appreciate you keeping us updated on your efforts. If only it was possible to talk to an IRS agent directly about your return instead of you having to do all this detective guesswork as to what is going on.

No problem - my perspective is any information on my experience is *potentially* useful to someone else even if we cannot figure out what the right next steps are!

The ironic thing is I have spoken over last year and the start of this year to about 4 agents when I eventually got through on the phone. Every single one of them has said a different thing with regards to this problem. There is literally no consistency among them. How in the world are people meant to know what is right to do when even the Agents cannot align around such issues?

I feel for Smitch and others who have had to then deal with the really hard side of the IRS, where they then audit and drag out claimed big fees/bills that are not even correct or right. 

I'd make sure that Social Security and IRS records all align - don't assume that because you changed a passport that all records will align - SS & IRS must exchange data (SS know your earnings & FICA contribution history) and a mismatch of names may throw out a red flag on either system.

Maybe a stupid question, but claiming ACTC - I presume everything has been registered with an SSN for your child?

I'd make sure that Social Security and IRS records all align - don't assume that because you changed a passport that all records will align - SS & IRS must exchange data (SS know your earnings & FICA contribution history) and a mismatch of names may throw out a red flag on either system.

Maybe a stupid question, but claiming ACTC - I presume everything has been registered with an SSN for your child?

Yes, I agree and plan to do that this year. Perhaps should have tried to change it before submitting my 2021 return, but oh well.

I have 2 children, both are dual UK/US citizens and both have SSNs. As both my wife and I are dual UK/US citizens, (8 passports between us!), I only found out in 2017 that I could claim back the ACTC through 8812 as a refund. Up until 2020, I did this successfully (2017-2019 inclusive). 2020 I'm still waiting (but presuming from info so far this is an error with scanning of my paper form 8812), and hopefully it will go through for 2021 e-filing through H&R Block Expat, as they also figured I would be eligible for this.