WASHINGTON – Thousands of people have money sitting at the Internal Revenue Service that could be claimed if they would just tell the tax collectors where they live.
The IRS said Tuesday that $73 million in tax refunds this year did not reach taxpayers. In most cases, the post office returned the checks as undeliverable because the taxpayers had moved.
The money belongs to more than 84,000 taxpayers, some of whom have more than one check waiting to be claimed.
Checking on the status of a refund by calling 800-829-4477 or going to the IRS Web site, www.irs.gov, could be worth an average $871 to taxpayers due unclaimed refunds.
“Our goal is to get this money back in the hands of the people it belongs to,” IRS Commissioner Mark Everson said.
Refund checks can bounce back to the IRS for a variety of reasons. Most often, a taxpayer moves, or sometimes the address is incomplete. Taxpayers who change their names after a marriage or divorce can sometimes encounter problems with mailed refunds.
This year, dislocations caused by Hurricane Katrina may have caused some refund checks go astray. The IRS said it will speed up searches for missing refunds owed to Gulf Coast residents and issue new refund checks when the originals cannot be found.
Those taxpayers can use a special toll-free IRS number, 866-562-5227, that the IRS set up for Katrina victims to track down missing checks.
Others should first check their records to make sure an expected refund never arrived. A feature on the IRS Web site allows taxpayers to check the status of a refund, and in some cases resolve the problem that prevented delivery. “Where’s My Refund?” asks taxpayers for some information, including Social Security number, refund amount and filing status, such as single, head of household or married couple.
Taxpayers who have moved and want to make sure the IRS has the correct address can fill out Form 8822, available on the IRS Web site or by calling 800-TAX-FORM.
Taxpayers without access to the Internet can call the IRS toll-free at 800-829-1040 to claim a refund that never arrived.
In most cases, a taxpayer only has to provide a current address. In some cases, if a check was lost and never got returned to the IRS, the taxpayer may have to go through a claims process. Those problems are handled case by case, sometimes over the phone or sometimes with additional paperwork.
Refunds returned to the IRS are not stored. The checks are destroyed, but the amount due remains on taxpayer accounts. When the taxpayer claims the refund and provides a current address, a new check is printed.
Anyone due a refund who does not call the IRS to request a check can expect to get the refund next year after filing their 2005 tax return. IRS computers will note the new address and automatically generate a new refund check.
Tax refund
To find out if you’re one of the 84,000 taxpayers who have income tax refund checks waiting to be claimed, call 800-829-4477 or go to www.irs.gov.
Tax refund
How do you find out if you’re one of the 84,000 federal income tax payers who has a refund check waiting to be claimed?
Call 800-829-4477 to check on the status of a refund or visit the IRS Web site at www.irs.gov.
The average unclaimed refund is $871.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
