Newsmax host Carl Higbie highlighted the case of a Tennessee farmer who spent years trying to return an IRS refund sent in error, arguing the situation illustrates systemic failures within the federal tax agency. Higbie also credited country music singer John Rich with helping bring the case to the attention of senior Trump administration officials.
“You know, one of my favorite things to do is stand up for the little guy,” Higbie said. “That’s literally the backbone of the show. There is no better example of the little guy getting the shaft than when we have to deal with the IRS.”
Higbie praised what he described as increased responsiveness under President Donald Trump’s administration.
“Fortunately, under the Trump administration, we have people that are actually in touch with the public,” he said. “John Rich, for example, special envoy to American landowners has stepped in and listen to how this went.”
Rich explained that he had learned about the case involving Mr. Kirby, a Tennessee farmer.
“Just heard about Mr. Kirby, the farmer in Tennessee, who the IRS is threatening to seize his property for him not making payments on a refund that he never asked for, nor was it his,” Rich said.
“According to the facts, is how I know them now. He tried to return the money, and as we all know, sometimes the IRS just is a labyrinth of complexity.”
Higbie then detailed the dispute, saying it began in 2021 when Kirby filed his tax return expecting a refund of approximately $1,100.
“So, in 2021, under Biden, a local Tennessee farmer named Mr. Kirby filed his taxes dutifully, like he does every single year, and was supposed to get an $1,100 refund,” Higbie said.
Instead, the IRS allegedly sent Kirby more than $20,000.
“The IRS actually sent him over $20,000,” Higbie said. “Kirby was like, ‘Hold up, wait a minute, something ain’t right.'”
According to Higbie, Kirby repeatedly attempted to notify the IRS of the mistake.
“So he makes multiple calls-not one, not two-multiple calls to the IRS to let them know that they’ve made a mistake,” Higbie said.
He added that Kirby also wrote letters and later had his accountant attempt to contact the agency.
“He wrote them letters and things like that,” Higbie said. “He has his accountant reach out. They couldn’t get in touch with anybody either.”
Higbie said Kirby eventually placed the money into a separate account while waiting for guidance from the IRS.
“So he puts this money in this side account and just lets it sit there until he could get somebody on the phone,” Higbie said. “This went on for four years.”
According to Higbie, the IRS later demanded repayment of the money plus interest.
“Then in early January of 2025, Mr. Kirby received a letter from the IRS telling him to send the $20,000 back with interest,” he said.
Higbie said Kirby immediately returned the entire $20,000 but disputed the interest charges because the overpayment resulted from an IRS error.
“According to his accountant, he immediately sent all the money back-the full $20,000 amount-to the IRS,” Higbie said.
He explained that Kirby later met with an IRS employee, who instructed him to file an abatement request seeking relief from the interest.
“Mr. Kirby went with the agent, and the agent had him fill out this like abatement form to explain why he didn’t owe the interest on this money.”
Higbie said the IRS rejected that request after another lengthy delay.
“The IRS waited 18 more months from that time, and then they denied his petition,” he said.
He added that the IRS also withheld Kirby’s later tax refund to collect the disputed interest.
“This year, the IRS withheld Mr. Kirby’s $1,873 refund that was due to him from his regular income as a payment towards the interest on the 20k that they sent him in error four years ago.”
According to Higbie, the dispute escalated further this year.
“So fast forward to this month, July 4 of all days, 2026. The IRS sent him a letter stating intent to put a levy against his farm to pay the interest on the 20k.”
Higbie said Rich intervened after learning of the situation.
“Thankfully, to avoid armed conflict, John Rich has stepped in, and as of this afternoon, it looks like this actually may be solved.”
Rich said the Trump administration has prioritized cases involving ordinary Americans.
“These are the kinds of things that I think the Trump administration cares about-just regular citizens who are running into situations that are so maddening nobody’s ever listened to them before.”
He added, “Rest assured, Mr. Kirby’s farm ain’t going anywhere. It’s going to stay right there with him.”
Higbie said Rich later informed him the case was receiving attention from senior officials.
“Now, I spoke to John Rich… and he said this is being expedited to a resolution at the highest levels. The White House got involved.”
While praising the reported progress, Higbie questioned why the situation had persisted for years.
“When you have CPAs and yourself not able to get in contact with a civil servant serving, you can’t penalize people for that,” he said.
Higbie argued the IRS should have resolved the issue immediately once Kirby met with agency personnel.
“How could any human with an IQ above a pineapple not see this and say, ‘Yep, sorry about that. We’re going to take care of it, and it’s over.'”
He also cited what he described as a federal law requiring the IRS to abate interest in cases involving erroneous refunds.
“There’s a law that says they can’t do this,” Higbie said, referring to “26 U.S. Code 6404e2, the provision on mandatory abatement of interest on certain erroneous refunds.”
Quoting the statute, Higbie emphasized the word “shall.”
“The secretary shall not may not should shall abate the assessment of all interest on any erroneous refund under section 6602 until the date demanded for repayment is made.”
Higbie argued that Kirby’s repeated efforts to return the money should have ended the matter years ago.
“And since he tried like hell to pay it back and no one picked up the phone at the IRS, it must be forgiven.”
He concluded by calling for accountability among government officials involved in the case.
“These laws are in place to protect you, me, and Mr. Kirby, and every everyone in America,” Higbie said. “Not a single IRS agent or federal worker will change a thing after this story unless there are real consequences.”
Comparing the government’s actions to how taxpayers are treated, Higbie added, “If I stiffed the IRS for 20 grand over five years, they would lock me up.”
He ended by appealing directly to President Trump.
“So, Mr. President, how about we send a message that the people paid by our tax dollars cannot violate the laws they are taxed to enforce without consequences?”
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