When you try to do the right thing—like paying your taxes early—you do not expect it to turn into a financial nightmare. But that is exactly what happened to one California couple who made a simple mistake while writing a check to the IRS. Instead of paying $3,360, the IRS tried to take $33,060, and things have spiraled out of control ever since.
How did the IRS check error happen?
Joy and Kenneth Hays thought they were being responsible by paying their 2025 federal taxes in advance. They estimated they owed about $3,360. But a small error when writing the check caused a major problem. On the numeric line, the amount was written correctly: $3,360. But on the written line, Joy accidentally wrote “thirty-three thousand sixty”.
The IRS system processed the written amount, not the number, and began trying to pull $33,060 from their Chase bank account.
What happens if the IRS cannot collect the full amount?
As you might expect, that check bounced. The bank did not allow the $33,060 transaction to go through because the Hays did not have that kind of money sitting in their account. The IRS tried again—and it bounced a second time.
What made things worse is that the IRS flagged the Hays as delinquent and added a $661 penalty, even though the entire issue came from a check-writing error.
So instead of getting credit for trying to pay early, the Hays were now being penalized for not paying at all.
Why could no one at the IRS fix it?
Joy tried everything she could to get the problem sorted out. She spent over six hours on hold trying to speak to someone at the IRS but never got to talk to a real person who could help fix the error. She submitted forms, called again, and got stuck in what felt like an endless loop.
According to Chris Housh, a prosecutor who reviewed the case, “Probably no human has reviewed the actual situation.” That is part of the larger issue—the IRS is highly automated, and in this case, no one stepped in to recognize the clear mistake.
Is IRS automation causing more problems?
It is most likely, and experts are worried it could get worse. The IRS has lost around 25% of its workforce in recent years. Because of that, the agency relies more on automated systems to process payments. But those systems cannot always spot human errors—like a mismatch between the written and numeric check amounts.
Housh explained that the IRS departments that process payments and the ones that handle tax returns do not always communicate well. When a check and a return do not match in the system, chaos can follow.
What can you learn from this?
This situation is a cautionary tale for anyone who pays taxes with a check:
- Always double-check both the numbers and the written words on your check.
- Consider using IRS online payment systems, where mistakes like this are less likely.
- If something goes wrong, document every call, every form, and every interaction with the IRS.
- Try to work with a tax professional who can help escalate the issue if needed.
As Joy said, “I am not going to pay $33,060 for a clerical error.” And she should not have to—but for now, her case is still unresolved.
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