Wilson Perry Kirby, a 76-year-old farmer and retired Montgomery County Highway Department worker from Coopertown, Tennessee, faces an escalating battle with the IRS that could cost him his family farm. The agency is demanding payment on interest charges tied to a $20,000 tax refund it mistakenly sent him in 2022. Kirby never spent the money and immediately worked to return it.
The erroneous refund arrived on May 10, 2022. Kirby, described as a plain-spoken country man, contacted his accountant right away to correct the IRS error. “She didn’t make a mistake. I didn’t make a mistake. They made a mistake,” he told NewsChannel 5. Despite his efforts, the situation worsened over the following years.
Instead of resolving the overpayment, the IRS began charging interest on the funds Kirby tried to return. The agency withheld his entire 2025 tax refund and recently sent notices demanding up to $4,300 in accrued interest, with warnings of property seizure or liens if unpaid. The interest continues to grow. Kirby says he has not touched the original $20,000.
This is not Kirby’s first time seeking help. He previously appeared on NewsChannel 5 with reporter Hannah McDonald to highlight his attempts to fix the issue. He has reached out to the president, governor, mayor, and others for assistance. “They don’t mind asking you to vote for them, but when you need help you can’t get ahold of nobody,” Kirby said. He lost his wife, Norma Jean, in 2024 and has largely fought this battle alone since then.
Recent developments have drawn more attention. U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty announced that his office is looking into the matter. Country singer John Rich has also offered support. NewsChannel 5 helped connect Kirby with a tax attorney, and the IRS agreed to direct contact in the case.
For farmers and rural landowners, this story highlights deep frustrations with federal bureaucracy. Property seizure threats over an agency error strike at the heart of agricultural communities where land is often a family’s primary asset and legacy. Cases like Kirby’s fuel calls for IRS accountability and reform, especially as farmers navigate complex tax rules alongside volatile markets, weather risks, and rising operational costs.
Kirby simply wants one reliable point of contact to resolve what he views as the IRS’s mistake before it endangers his farm.
The IRS is threatening to seize a Tennessee man's farm after charging him interest on a $20,000 refund it accidentally sent him, which he immediately tried to return.
Wilson Perry Kirby, 76, says he was accidentally sent $20,000 by the IRS in 2022.
Kirby immediately tried… pic.twitter.com/1UntrdFKa4
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 23, 2026