💼 What to Do If You Applied a Corporate Tax Payment to the Wrong Year in EFTPS

Mistakes happen — even when you’re doing everything right.

If your corporation made an estimated tax payment via EFTPS and accidentally applied it to the wrong tax year (say, you meant 2025 but selected 2024), don’t worry — the IRS can correct it.

Here’s what happens, how long it takes, and what you can do to stay on top of it 👇

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🏢 You Paid for 2025… But Labeled It 2024

When you make an estimated tax payment through EFTPS and choose the wrong tax year — like selecting 2024 instead of 2025 — the payment gets posted to the wrong period.

While it may seem like a small clerical error, this misapplied payment can:

• Affect your Form 1120 filing accuracy

• Throw off future quarterly estimates

• Potentially lead to underpayment or overpayment notices

But good news: it can be fixed — and here’s how.

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✅ What Happens When You Call the IRS

If you’ve already called the IRS Business & Specialty Tax Line (1-800-829-4933) and requested a correction, here’s what’s happening behind the scenes:

1️⃣ IRS Submits a Manual Reallocation Request

The IRS agent will usually file an internal adjustment form (commonly Form 2424) to manually move your payment from Tax Year 2024 to 2025.

This action does not happen automatically in EFTPS — it must be initiated manually by IRS personnel.

2️⃣ Processing Time: 4–6 Weeks

Once submitted, the correction typically takes 4 to 6 weeks, sometimes up to 8 weeks.

• If you asked during your call, the agent may have provided a case number or reference ID.

• Written confirmation is rare, so you’ll need to monitor your account to verify the change.

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👨‍💻 How to Confirm It’s Actually Fixed

🔍 EFTPS — Won’t Reflect the Change

Even after the IRS updates your account, the EFTPS portal will still show the original tax year (2024), because it doesn’t sync with IRS corrections.

Check your payment history here: https://www.eftps.gov

🔍 IRS Business Account or Transcript

For actual confirmation:

• Call 1-800-829-4933 and ask:

  “Can you confirm that my estimated tax payment on [date] was reallocated from 2024 to 2025?”

• Alternatively, request a Business Account Transcript to view the updated application.

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✍️ Optional but Smart: Send a Written Follow-Up

To ensure there's a clear, written record of your intent — especially for corporate filings — it's a great idea to send a formal request letter to the IRS.

Here’s a ready-to-use template:

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📄 IRS Letter Template: Correcting a Misapplied Corporate Tax Payment

[Your Company Letterhead]
[Your Business Name]
[Your Business Address]
[City, State ZIP Code]
[Phone Number]
[Email Address – optional]

Date: [Insert today's date]

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To:
Internal Revenue Service
[Insert appropriate IRS mailing address – see below]

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Subject: Request for Reapplication of Misapplied Corporate Estimated Tax Payment
EIN: [Your Employer Identification Number]
Payment Date: [Insert date you made the payment]
Amount: $[Insert payment amount]
Tax Year (originally applied): 2024
Tax Year (should be applied to): 2025
Payment Method: EFTPS
EFTPS Confirmation Number: [Insert confirmation number]

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Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to request a correction to an estimated corporate tax payment that was inadvertently applied to the incorrect tax year.

On [insert payment date], our company made an estimated tax payment in the amount of $[insert amount] via EFTPS. Unfortunately, the payment was mistakenly designated for Tax Year 2024, but it was intended for Tax Year 2025.

We kindly request that the IRS reapply this payment to Tax Year 2025. For your reference, I have enclosed a copy of the EFTPS payment confirmation showing the date and amount of the transaction.

If additional documentation is needed to complete this correction, please let us know. Thank you for your assistance in ensuring that our account is properly updated.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Title/Position]
[Your Company Name]

Enclosure: EFTPS Payment Confirmation

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📬 Where to Mail the Letter

Send your letter to the IRS address that corresponds to your corporation’s state and filing requirements for Form 1120.
📍 You can find the correct address here:
👉 IRS: Where to File Your Taxes (Form 1120)

Not sure which to use? Let me know your state and I can help look it up.

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📌 Final Checklist

✅ Step	💬 What to Do
✔️ You called the IRS	Excellent first move – they submitted the reallocation
⏳ Wait 4–6 weeks	Give the process time to complete
🔍 Confirm the update	Call IRS or request a business account transcript
📨 Optional: Send a letter	Provides backup documentation and clarity

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Wrapping Up

Correcting a misapplied estimated tax payment isn’t fun — but it’s 100% fixable. With a little patience, a phone call, and optionally a follow-up letter, your corporate payment will land in the right tax year where it belongs.