Tax Filing Mistakes That Could Delay Your Refund

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Tax season is stressful enough without adding unnecessary delays to the mix. But every year, millions of taxpayers unknowingly make simple, avoidable mistakes that can slow down their refunds, trigger IRS corrections, or even cause their tax returns to be rejected altogether.
The good news? Most of these errors are easy to prevent — as long as you know what to watch for.
This article covers some of the most common tax filing mistakes that could hold up your refund, from basic typos and missing signatures to misreported income and incorrect banking details.
While these mistakes won't necessarily trigger an audit or cost you money, they can lead to frustrating delays that keep you waiting weeks — or even months — longer than necessary.
Why These Mistakes Matter
They're simple but incredibly common. Things like forgetting to sign your return or mistyping your Social Security number seem minor, but they can cause major processing headaches.
They directly impact IRS processing times. The IRS can't move forward with your return until everything matches their records, and errors mean they have to slow down and manually review your filing.
They delay your refund. If the IRS has to fix a mistake, reject your return, or switch your direct deposit to a paper check, your refund could take much longer to arrive.
The best part? Each of these mistakes is completely avoidable with a little extra care before filing. Let's dive into the most common errors that can keep your money out of your hands longer than necessary — and how to make sure they don't happen to you.
1) Filing Too Early
You've eager to file early, but rushing to submit your return before you've received everything can backfire — big time. Tax documents, like W-2s, 1099s, and investment statements, often trickle in throughout January and February. If you file before all your paperwork arrives, you risk missing income, reporting incorrect numbers, or even needing to amend your return later.
The Impact: Filing prematurely can lead to processing delays, IRS corrections, or worse — a tax bill or audit if missing income is later reported to the IRS. Let's say you have a side gig and forget about a 1099 that arrives weeks after you've already filed. The IRS gets a copy of that form, even if you didn't include it in your return. If they catch the mistake first, you'll get a notice (and potentially a penalty) for underreporting your income.
How to Avoid It: Before you file, pause and double-check — do you have every tax form you need? W-2s and 1099s should all be in hand, but don't forget about investment income, rental earnings, or any side gig payments. If you've paid student loan interest or mortgage interest, make sure you have those statements, too. Filing too soon without all your documents could mean amending your return later — or worse, dealing with an unexpected tax bill.
If you're unsure, wait. Most tax forms are required to be sent by January 31, but corrections or late-arriving documents aren't uncommon. A little patience now can save you from headaches later.
2) Missing or Incorrect Social Security Numbers
It sounds too simple to be a real problem, but entering the wrong Social Security number (SSN) is one of the most common tax filing mistakes. Whether it's a typo, a number switched around, or forgetting to enter an SSN for a dependent, even one wrong digit can hold up your entire tax return. The IRS uses SSNs to match tax returns with income documents, so if they don't line up, your refund could be delayed — or worse, your return could be rejected outright.
The Impact: A simple typo in a Social Security number can delay your refund, cause your return to be rejected, or block you from claiming valuable tax credits. If the IRS can't match an SSN to its records, your return could get flagged for review, leaving you waiting for the issue to be resolved. And if a dependent's SSN is incorrect, you could lose out on credits like the Child Tax Credit or Earned Income Tax Credit, potentially costing you thousands.
How to Avoid It: Before filing, triple-check all Social Security numbers — yours, your spouse's, and any dependents — to ensure they match exactly what's on your Social Security cards. Even a small typo, an extra space, or a missing middle name can cause problems. Tax software can help catchformatting errors, but it won't verify if the number is correct, so review everything carefully before submitting.
If you realize you made a mistake after filing, don't panic. You can correct it by filing Form 1040-X (Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return) and fixing the SSN error. But to avoid the hassle, get it right the first time!
3) Math Mistakes
Tax returns involve numbers — sometimes a lot of numbers. And if you're doing your taxes by hand, even a simple addition or subtraction error can throw off your entire return. Enter a wrong number, and suddenly you could owe more than you should — or get a refund that's way off.
The IRS found nearly 2.5 million math errors on returns in a single year. While tax software catches most of these issues, they're still one of the most common mistakes people make when filing.
The Impact: A simple math mistake might not seem like a big deal, but it can slow down your refund, trigger IRS adjustments, or even leave you with an unexpected tax bill. If you miscalculate and report too little tax owed, you could get hit with penalties and interest. On the flip side, if your mistake goes the other way,you might overpay and miss out on money that should be in your pocket. Either way, fixing it later is a hassle you don't want.
How to Avoid It: Tax software is your best friend here — it automatically handles calculations and reduces the risk of human error. If you're filing manually, double-check every number before submitting, especially income, deductions, and credits. A small mistake in a single box could cost you tax savings or delay your refund.
Even though tax software helps with math errors, it can't catch incorrect numbers that you enter — so always review your return before filing!
4) Entering the Wrong Bank Account Number
You're expecting a nice, direct-deposited refund — but instead, you're stuck waiting on a paper check because you entered the wrong bank account number. Worse? If the wrong number belongs to someone else, your refund could go into their account, and recovering it isn't easy.
The IRS doesn't verify whether the account number you enter actually belongs to you. If the money gets deposited somewhere else, you'll have to work with the bank to try and get it back — and there's no guarantee you'll be able to.
The Impact: Entering the wrong bank account number can delay your refund for weeks or even months if the IRS catches the mistake and defaults to mailing a paper check. Worse, if the refund goes into someone else's account, retrieving it can be a nightmare — or even impossible. And once your return is filed, there's no way to correct your direct deposit info, leaving you stuck with whatever mistake was made.
How to Avoid It: Before submitting your return, triple-check your routing and account numbers against an actual check or bank statement — one wrong digit can cause serious headaches. Direct deposit is still the fastest way to get your refund, but only if the numbers are correct. If you're unsure about your account details, call your bank before filing — guessing isn't worth the risk.
Waiting on a refund is annoying enough — don't let a simple typo make it take even longer.
5) Forgetting to Sign the Return
You did all the hard work, crunched the numbers, checked for errors, and hit submit… but if you forget to sign your return, none of it counts. The IRS won't process an unsigned tax return — it's like sending in a test without writing your name at the top.
If you're filing jointly, both you and your spouse need to sign, unless one of you has a valid power of attorney or qualifies for an exception (like active military members using a designated representative).
The Impact: An unsigned tax return is as good as not filing at all — the IRS won't process it, which meansrefund delays, possible penalties, and extra headaches if you don't catch the mistake in time. And fixing it isn't automatic; you'll have to go through the hassle of resubmitting your return, which only drags out the process even longer.
How to Avoid It: If you e-file, your electronic signature is included automatically, so there's no risk of forgetting. But if you'refiling a paper return, double-check before mailing to ensure all required signatures are there. And if you're filing jointly, both spouses must sign — unless one qualifies for an exemption, like military deployment.
Signing your return is the easiest step — don't let this simple mistake slow down your refund!
6) Not Checking for Typos (Especially in Income & Deductions)
A small typo on your tax return can cause big problems. Entering a number incorrectly — whether in income, deductions, or bank details — can delay your refund, trigger an IRS notice, or lead to missing tax credits.
Let's say you accidentally report $52,000 in income instead of $25,000 — that one misplaced number could make your tax bill thousands of dollars higher than it should be!
The Impact: A simple typo can cause IRS notices, refund delays, or even missed tax savings. If your reported income doesn't match what's on file, the IRS will flag it and send a correction notice. Enter the wrong number for deductions or credits, and you could end up owing more or losing out on money you're entitled to. Even minor errors can slow down your refund while the IRS sorts things out.
How to Avoid It: Before you hit submit, give your return a final review — especially when it comes to income amounts, deductions, and tax credits. Even a small typo can throw off your refund or trigger IRS corrections. Compare every number to your W-2s, 1099s, and other tax forms to make sure they match exactly. And if you're using tax software, take advantage of built-in error checks — they won't catch everything, but they can flag potential mistakes before they become a problem.
One wrong digit might not seem like a big deal, but it can make tax season a lot more stressful than it needs to be.
Don't Let Simple Mistakes Delay Your Refund!
Nobody wants to wait longer than necessary for their tax refund — especially over avoidable errors. The good news? Every mistake on this list can be prevented with a little extra attention before you file.
Before you hit submit, take a few extra minutes to double-check your Social Security number, math, and bank details. If you're mailing a return, don't forget to sign it. And if you're filing electronically, use tax software to catch common mistakes before they become a problem.
By slowing down and reviewing your return carefully, you can avoid IRS delays, prevent unnecessary headaches, and get your refund as quickly as possible. A little extra caution now means less stress — and more money in your pocket — sooner.