A Tennessee man who says he immediately tried to return a $20,000 tax refund he believed was sent to him by mistake is now facing years of disputes with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), including interest charges and the loss of his most recent tax refund.
Wilson Perry Kirby, a 76-year-old Coopertown resident and retired Montgomery County Highway Department employee, said the situation began in May 2022 when he received the unexpected payment.
Kirby said he believed the refund was an IRS error and attempted to return the money shortly after receiving it.
He said he worked with his accountant to notify the agency and resolve the issue, but the dispute continued for years. Kirby said neither he nor his accountant made an error and argued that the mistake originated with the IRS.
According to Kirby, the IRS later assessed interest charges connected to the refund he had attempted to return.
He said the agency withheld his most recent tax refund, which he expected to be about $1,800, and applied it toward the disputed balance. Kirby said the agency also informed him that additional money was still owed.
The IRS sent Kirby a notice stating that he owed $2,575 immediately and warned that failure to pay could result in enforcement action, including a possible levy against his property, according to documents reviewed by the Daily Mail.
Kirby said he was concerned the dispute could put his property at risk, including his approximately $930,000 farm in Coopertown, Tennessee.
Kirby said the ongoing dispute has taken an emotional toll, particularly after the death of his wife, Norma Jean, in August 2024.
He said his wife had helped him navigate technology and communications with the agency before her death.
Kirby described the process of trying to resolve the matter as frustrating and said he struggled to find assistance despite reaching out to government officials.
“I’ve tried the president, governor, mayor,” Kirby said, adding that he felt it was difficult to reach someone who could help resolve the issue.
He said he continued pursuing the matter because he believed he was trying to correct an error rather than avoid a legitimate tax obligation.
Kirby eventually contacted WTVF for assistance, and after the station reported on his case, he said the situation appeared to begin moving forward.
Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R) also contacted Kirby and told him the matter had been settled, according to the Daily Mail.
However, Kirby later reported that his refund had been withheld and that he received a notice regarding the remaining balance.
The IRS declined to comment on Kirby’s specific situation, citing federal privacy laws that prevent the agency from discussing individual taxpayer cases. The agency has not publicly addressed the details of the dispute.
Taxpayers experiencing unresolved problems with the IRS can seek assistance from the Taxpayer Advocate Service, an independent organization within the IRS that helps individuals navigate tax-related disputes and work toward solutions.
After years of attempting to resolve the matter, Kirby said he hopes the dispute will finally be concluded and that he can receive the refund he was expecting.
He credited his persistence for helping him continue the fight to correct what he believes was an IRS mistake.
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