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Anybody know if it would help to talk to the IRS about this?

The company I retired from pays me on the first of every month. Somebody screwed up and sent the JAN 1 2017 payment out early so it was deposited in my account 0n 12,30,16 so it was reported as the 13th payment of '16. Below is part of a letter I sent to the company.
This is the nice part.

"Thanks to a failure to provide correct information to the IRS it was reported that I received 13 monthly retirement payments in 20016
Thanks to that my Federal Tax owed after the deductions went from $1115 to $1553
My Colorado State tax went from $0 to $144
Also State taxes withheld from that "13th" payment are gone forever
I was required to have my Tax forms reworked with added costs
I will never see this money again, and don't even try to tell me it will be offset by lower taxes in 2017"

I know it's not a lot of money, but it catches me at a bad time in my budget and I need to vent.

I am not an expert, but the income occurred in 2016 (erroneously) so the IRS can't help you. The company screwed up. Maybe they will help.

No it won't help to talk to the IRS. There is nothing the IRS would/should do. The company screwed up making the deposit, however, I do not believe they screwed up the reporting. There are strict rules on when income is reported to the beneficiary and it sounds like they reported it correctly.

A couple things don't make sense. I assume you received a 1099 for 2016 and it was showing 13 payments. If true, it should also show 13 state withholdings. Your statement "..State taxes withheld from that 13th payment are gone forever" is false. If they withheld it, you can claim in on your return. If they do not show it on the 1099, have them issue a corrected 1099. The withholdings should be shown in the same year as the payment. What do you mean on your statement "I was required to have my tax for reworked with added costs"? Do you mean have them amended? Did you file your 2016 taxes before you received the 1099 for your pension? If so, that error is on you.

G23

After my 2116 Taxes were prepared and the state was already filed I received refund based on the original 1099.
The revised 1099 came late and the 13th payment kicked me into a new bracket so I owe the additional taxes
My tax person had to redo my filings as a result of the new 1099, thus the added costs.
The state tax deducted from the final check are gone because the paperwork to recover them would cost more than I lost.

Maybe I should have explained that the early deposit wasn't discovered right away and the original 1099 that I based my returns on reflected the way it should have been.

I suggest that you write a polite letter to the company responsible for your pension payments. Accurately show what their mistake cost you. Then politely ask to be reimbursed.

That may just take care of it. Also, there may be other retirees that were hit with the same problem. The company may already be aware of the problem, and taking care of those who request reimbursement.

It won't hurt to try, and it does create a record of the situation. Good luck.

No doubt thousands are in the same boat, it's a large multi national.
The company has no intention of providing a cure,they stated that up front.

I instinctively / almost reflexively dislike you.
....are you this creepy in person ?

GTC

Have you thought about going in to an IRS office and sit down with a Tax Advocate and let them know what happened, and ask for their advise? This thing the IRS won't do nothing about it, is kinda dumb... as that answer seems to come from someone who is assuming and has never actually done it.. I have... they aren't the stone wall monster that they can be made out to be...

One of Two things will happen.. they will let you file an amended return, to correct this problem and send it to the people who you met with.. also make sure you write down each persons name and ID number...so if you are asked,"who told you that?" you can let them know complete with ID number...

If they let you file an amended return then the deposit will go onto your 2017 tax year.... if not, then it will go onto 2016... and you can thank your former employer's accounting people...I am sure its not company policy... its more like the accounting office is dodging their responsibility...

I'd also bet 10 to one, that it wasn't a mistake... It probably helped the corporation more on this tax year, than if they would have deposited it in January. Playing both sides the fence to whatever helps out the Corporations tax bill, is what the Average Sleeze Balls Accountant is going t do...and if held accountable their only response is that is what I'm paid to do.. like many attorneys, many accountants don't really have any conscience....

if they have to screw a lot of employees, just to make themselves look good to their bosses, they'll do it every time... been there and done that...

Talk to a tax advocate face to face at an IRS office.. that is what they are paid for, and you'd be surprised on how much flexibility the IRS can have...

Excellent advice!