It never seems to fail. When some people move and change their address, they let everyone know…everyone, that is, except the IRS.
Once again, the IRS has refund checks from tax year 2006 that have not found their rightful owners. Believe it or not, these checks are worth a whopping $110 million dollars and average approximately $953 per check. That’s not all. Some taxpayers have more than one check waiting for them.
But don’t fret. This money can still be claimed. If you are one of the 115,478 taxpayers who moved and never received your refund, it’s as simple as updating your address with the IRS using Form 8822. This form can be downloaded (Click here) or you can call the IRS toll-free 800-829-3616 to request one.
You can also visit the “Where’s My Refund?” page on the IRS website to track your refund. Simply enter your Social Security number, filing status and the amount of the refund shown on your 2006 tax return. If the check has come back to the IRS, you will be prompted to enter your correct mailing information.
If for some reason you are not in a hurry for your refund, the IRS does keep the returned check information on file and will forward the money to you as soon as a valid address is on file. In other words, you will receive your refund check when you file your 2007 tax return listing your current and correct address.
However, I don’t suggest you wait. It’s always best if you let the IRS know right away of any address change. Even if you have changed your address with the U.S. Postal Service, it’s best to let the IRS know directly.
And here’s just one more little tidbit about refunds for the 2006 tax season. The undeliverable refund checks account for less than one-tenth of one percent of all refunds, or about one in a thousand. In 2007, the IRS processed approximately 105 million refunds totaling about $240 billion.
Posted by johnharris 
