"Name or SSN not matching what's in the database"

[JJKIMCPA925]

I have tried multiple times to file a client's 2021 1040 and it has been rejected 5-6 times each with the message of either:

"Error Message: Spouse SSN and Spouse Name Control in the return must match the e-File database."

or "PrimarySSN' and 'PrimaryNameControlTxt' in the Return Header must match the e-File database"

The client's name is fairly long (multiple last names) so I had to truncate it to remove a red critical diagnostic. But I believe truncating the name on the return is causing "what's in the database" to not match and therefore kicking back the return.

If anyone has a solution to this problem I would greatly appreciate any help! Thanks!

[PATAX]

Is the name the spouse using the same that's on her social security card. There are other posts on this forum about how to enter long surnames, just do a search and you'll find it

[George4Tacks]

This might help https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/taxes/discussion/my-daughter-has-two-middle-names-and-two-last-nam....

[DatabaseRobert]

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

[BobKamman]

@DatabaseRobert  At least in those good old days, IRS checked for tax debts owed only by the primary SSN.  When you saw a return with the wife listed first, you knew the reason.  

They still miss out on checking AGI for higher Medicare premiums.  If a spouse is receiving benefits, and paying premiums under the SSN of a prior (deceased) spouse, the system will not do the match.  

[TaxGuyBill]

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@JJKIMCPA925 wrote:

and it has been rejected 5-6 times

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Perhaps the rules have changed, but the last I checked was that five IRS rejections make it permanently not eligible to be e-filed.  *IF* that is still the rule, it must now be paper-filed (even if you figure out what the original problem was).