The "name is too long" diagnostic has explicit instructions on how to fix it.  (i.e. "Middle name drops to just initial.  Then First name drops to just initial.  NEVER TOUCH THE LAST NAME.")

The last name must be an exact match to what is in SSA computer for the Social Security Card.

True story: when efile was new in the early 1990s, transmissions were directly to the IRS center; our area went through Andover.  I had their number on speed-dial, for problem solving.  Also spoke frequently with SSA people, to resolve bad entry.
  Worst horror story: family of five (husband, wife, three kids), hyphenated name.  Every time I tried to transmit, one or the other of them would bounce back as not a match.
  EVERY SINGLE ONE of the five was split on the SSA cards in a different way.  With or without hyphen.  Middle name included in last.  First part of last included in middle.  Something else weird.  You choose.
  I finally got the straight dope directly from SSA employee looking at their computer screen, and put a great big fat note in the manilla file & on page47/Notes saying "DO NOT TOUCH THE SSNs IF YOU VALUE YOUR LIFE," unless the client hands you a brand new card.

Never had a bounce again from that entire family.

(In those early years, we also had *many* clients who had been married for 40+ years, they're both already retired and drawing pension/Social Security...  everything is still under her maiden name.  She changed it at the courthouse, never bothered to change with SSA.  Nearly all of those situations have since been resolved, as the process got more current & up-to-date.)



Robert