Asked to provide proof taxes were paid. Already submitted tax transcripts. What now?

[jbachelor]

My spouse had his naturalization interview today and everything seemed to be going well. He passed civics, English, etc. But at the end of the interview, the USCIS officer said that he owed X amount in taxes to the IRS from the 2018 return, and for that reason, she was not able to make a positive recommendation for naturalization, and encouraged him to appeal if he had evidence that taxes had been paid.

He had his tax transcripts on him and pulled them out. She said that all transcripts show is that we filed taxes, but not that we actually paid them.

We paid the X amount stated in 2019 on time, we have that X amount showing as coming out of our checking account as a transfer to the IRS in April of 2019, and within our IRS account online, it shows the payment history and says that nothing is owed now or for the 2018 return. And this year in April, we actually received a REFUND from the IRS for paying too much in taxes in 2019. You definitely don't get a refund if you owe back taxes.

How did we somehow get erroneously flagged? Any advice on how to proceed? Is appealing a nightmare?

[c00lone]

Just download the IRS Account transcript, that will show your balance.

[jbachelor]

Just download the IRS Account transcript, that will show your balance.

Thank you! I didn't know there was a difference between the account transcript and return transcript. It shows the 0 balance I need. Thanks!

Is this a common issue that happens, where USCIS erroneously says you owe money and denies the application? I've never seen that before in forums.

We left the interview totally disappointed and confused (that after waking up at 4AM and driving 3 hours).

[simple123]

My spouse had his naturalization interview today and everything seemed to be going well. He passed civics, English, etc. But at the end of the interview, the USCIS officer said that he owed X amount in taxes to the IRS from the 2018 return, and for that reason, she was not able to make a positive recommendation for naturalization, and encouraged him to appeal if he had evidence that taxes had been paid.

He had his tax transcripts on him and pulled them out. She said that all transcripts show is that we filed taxes, but not that we actually paid them.

We paid the X amount stated in 2019 on time, we have that X amount showing as coming out of our checking account as a transfer to the IRS in April of 2019, and within our IRS account online, it shows the payment history and says that nothing is owed now or for the 2018 return. And this year in April, we actually received a REFUND from the IRS for paying too much in taxes in 2019. You definitely don't get a refund if you owe back taxes.

How did we somehow get erroneously flagged? Any advice on how to proceed? Is appealing a nightmare?

Do you have an update on this issue? Did you find out why they think you didn’t pay 2018 taxes?

please provide a feedback so we all can avoid such issue in the future

[amystivens]

How did you solve this? Calculating your taxes correctly can be a challenge, especially when you need to ensure they are accurate and provable for purposes like dealing with the immigration system. To make a correct tax calculation and later provide evidence, the first step is to understand, 'What is my tax bracket?' In the UK, tax brackets are key to determining how much of your income is taxable and at what rates. The progressive tax system means different portions of your income are taxed at increasing rates as your earnings rise. This is especially important if your immigration status requires you to show proof of compliance with tax regulations, such as when applying for visas or permanent residency. Immigration authorities often request detailed documentation, including your income, tax filings, and sometimes employer-provided information like P60 or P45 forms.