Mistake creates $2 million of extra income, IRS asking for pile of cash

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Aaron Strickler, 26, was furloughed from his job past year.

Strickler collected unemployment and erstwhile helium filed his taxes electronically, determination betwixt hitting the nonstop fastener and the IRS getting his return, his income accrued by much than $2 million. And Strickler has nary thought however it happened. 

“The IRS is saying that I made over $2 million,” Strickler said. 

He showed I-Team 8 his taxation returns from past year; helium made close around $32,000 — which includes $20,000 in unemployment security — a acold agelong from the $2 cardinal the IRS says helium made.   

“They want $750,000 in taxes,” Strickler said arsenic he handed I-Team 8 his taxation documents from past year, which helium filed online with the aforesaid taxation preparer helium has utilized for years.

When helium filed successful early February, he owed adjacent to $1,000 in income taxes, which helium paid. Months later, helium noticed a problem: He hadn’t received his 3rd stimulus check.  

“So I went backmost and looked astatine my taxes to spot if thing was holding it up. That is when I found retired connected the apical near of the surface that I owed $735,000 successful national and over $45,000 in state,” Strickler said. 

At some point a fewer additional zeroes were added to his taxation return.

“So there was thing where, uh, a glitch happened wherever alternatively than it putting in I made $20,000 in unemployment compensation it enactment it that I made $2 million,” Strickler said.  

He says helium would person noticed a mistake similar that erstwhile helium filed. A representative from the online taxation preparer said they had ne'er seen thing similar it and told him helium was connected his own, which means making calls to the IRS and praying idiosyncratic volition prime up.  

“I called their line. Some days they instrumentality telephone calls, immoderate days they don’t instrumentality telephone calls. I think connected 2 oregon 3 occasions I finally got done and got successful interaction with someone. Well, past they accidental this is not my section and I need to transportation you to different person. I get transferred to different person. They put me connected hold, accidental they are looking done my account, enactment my 1 clasp again and past my telephone telephone disconnects,” Strickler said. 

As for the $45,000 he owed the state, Strickler was capable to wide that up with 1 sojourn to the Indiana Department of Revenue. I-Team 8 called the IRS and they person not returned the telephone arsenic of yet. 

Strickler is getting postulation notices from the IRS demanding helium pay $7,300 a month. I-Team 8 volition enactment connected this communicative until determination is simply a resolution.