WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Bill Delahunt today advised Southeastern Massachusetts residents that they may already be entitled to a refund ...even before they fill out this year's tax forms.
At least 146 residents on the South Shore and the Cape & Islands are still owed 2004 federal refunds â?? because the IRS literally canâ??t find them. Refund checks go unclaimed for a variety of reasons, but the most common is the simplest: the taxpayer fails to notify government of an address change.
"Even the IRS can understand it's better to give than receive," Delahunt said. "The checks are ready to send, if only the taxpayer will tell the IRS his or her mailing address."
Nationwide, the IRS is looking for more than 90,000 taxpayers who are owed $70 million in unclaimed refunds. In Massachusetts, the federal government wants to return $1.4 million to 1500 taxpayers. In the Tenth Congressional District alone, refunds ranging from three dollars to $7,237 have gone unreturned.
There is no deadline for claiming refunds, but the unclaimed returns represent an interest-free loan to the government. In the event the taxpayer is deceased, the estate can apply for the funds.
The quickest way to check the status of a missing refund is online, through the IRS website. After clicking on "Where's My Refund?" a taxpayer is asked to enter his or her Social Security Number, filing status and the amount of their expected 2004 tax refund. The site will then show the status of any refund and further instructions. For those without internet access, the IRS offers a toll-free phone assistance at 800-829-1040.
Unless the government hears otherwise, the IRS sends refunds to the mailing address used for its most recent correspondence with taxpayers -- in most cases involving 2004 refunds, its most likely to be the address used for 2003 returns.
To change a mailing address, a taxpayer must complete Form 8822, a simple one-page document available from any IRS office -- and online at www.irs.gov. It is also advisable to file change-of-address information with the US Postal Service, which offers its form online at www.usps.gov.
Assistance on individual questions is available toll-free through Rep. Delahuntâ??s office at 800-870-2626 (Hyannis) or 800-794-9911 (Quincy).
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