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If the VIN error on your clean vehicle credit claim is due to the dealer’s mistake, you can still potentially claim the credit, but you must take specific steps to correct the information.
Key Points About VIN Errors Due to Dealer Mistakes
- Dealer Filed Incorrect VIN: Sometimes dealers submit the wrong VIN to the IRS either by clerical error or other reasons. This causes a mismatch between the VIN on your tax return and the one the IRS has on file, which generally results in the credit claim being rejected or disallowed.
- Dealer Responsibilities: The dealer is required to file a Clean Vehicle Seller Report with accurate vehicle information at the time of sale. If they made a mistake, they may need to submit a correction or amendment to the IRS to fix the VIN information.
- Your Action Steps:
- Request the time of sale report or any documentation the dealer submitted to the IRS and verify the VIN and other details match your vehicle.
- If there is an error, ask the dealer to file a correction with the IRS to amend the VIN mistake.
- If the dealer is uncooperative or unable to correct it, you may consider submitting your tax return with sales documentation and a cover letter explaining the issue, although this does not guarantee acceptance and IRS rejection is possible.
- Disputing Incorrect Dealer Claims: If the dealer claimed the credit improperly or without your consent (for example, claiming a different vehicle’s VIN), you can contest this with the IRS. Some taxpayers have successfully reversed such credit transfers by filing Form 8949 along with detailed explanations and supporting documentation proving lack of informed consent to the transfer.
- Consulting Authorities: You can also contact the IRS and your state’s department of motor vehicles to report and resolve the issue, especially if the dealer’s error is causing complications or if the dealer may be misusing credits.
Summary
Yes, you can still claim the credit if the VIN error is the dealer’s mistake, but it requires you to:
- Obtain and verify the dealer’s report submitted to the IRS,
- Ensure the dealer corrects the VIN information with the IRS,
- Potentially submit additional documentation to the IRS with your return,
- And if necessary, contest improper credit transfers through IRS forms and correspondence.
This process may be time-consuming and require persistence, but there is precedent for successfully resolving these errors in your favor.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/can-i-still-claim-the-credit-if-the-vin-error-is-due-to-the-dealers-mistake/
