Search  
   
Browse by Category
TaxSlayer.com Help Center .: Basic Information About e-Filing .: What if my last name has a hyphen or dash in it?

What if my last name has a hyphen or dash in it?

When you e-file your return, the information has to be specifically formatted so that the IRS and state processing systems can properly handle it when it is received.  One of the conditions of this formatting is that the data cannot contain special characters such as hyphens or dashes.

When the IRS receives your information, they verify your SSN against the first 4 letters of your last name.  To ensure that your return is accepted by the IRS, you may want to contact them (or the Social Security Administration) to see what they have on file for your last name.  The IRS can be reached at 1-800-829-1040.  The Social Security Administration can be reached at 1-800-772-1213. 

Once you figure out what they have on file, that is what you should enter into your account.  If a dash or hyphen is included in what they have on file, you should just leave a space where the hyphen would be.


How helpful was this article to you?

Related Articles

article Entering Names with Hyphens or Apostrophes
When entering a name in your return you will need to omit the hyphen or the apostrophe. Because the only acceptable entries for names include...




Copyright 2004-2011  Privacy Statment