Brown Alerts Ohioans To Unclaimed Tax Refunds Still On The Table

Brown Releases Contact Information for Local IRS Offices Where Ohioans Can See if they Have Unclaimed Funds; Ohioans Can Also Call 1-800-829-1954 or Visit WWW.IRS.GOV

With Just 19 Days Left Until Taxes Are Set to Rise for All Americans, Brown to Urge the House of Representatives to Pass Senate Bill Extending Tax Cuts for 99 Percent of Ohio Families While Reducing the Deficit by $829 Billion


WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) alerted Ohioans to unclaimed tax refunds owed to them by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) they have left on the table. Inaccurate addresses have caused these funds to be returned by the U.S. Postal Service. In 2011, more than 2,000 Ohioans had unclaimed tax returns and the average check was more than $1,500. Brown also released a list of local IRS offices where Ohioans can see if they have unclaimed funds.

“We need to do all we can to help Ohio families make ends meet—we need to make sure Ohioans know about unclaimed tax returns and the House needs to act swiftly to pass the middle class tax cuts,” Brown said. “Middle-class families cannot afford to leave one cent on the table, but that’s what has happened in recent years because people just don’t know that the IRS owes them money. This is money that should end up in the bank accounts of Ohioans – not held up at the IRS because of a change in address or because a person did not earn enough wages to file a federal income tax return.

“In addition to getting money out of the hands of the IRS and into the hands of Ohio families, we should also help middle class families keep more of their earnings,” Brown continued. “Now is not the time to threaten working families with a tax increase. Extending the middle class tax cuts is the right thing to do and the House should act now.

According to the IRS, if a refund check is returned to the IRS as undelivered, taxpayers can generally update their addresses with the “Where’s My Refund?” tool on IRS.gov. The tool also enables taxpayers to check the status of their refunds. A taxpayer must submit his or her Social Security number, filing status and amount of refund shown on their 2011 return. The tool will provide the status of their refund and, in some cases, instructions on how to resolve delivery problems. Ohio taxpayers checking on a refund over the phone will receive instructions on how to update their addresses. Taxpayers can access a telephone version of “Where’s My Refund?” by calling 1-800-829-1954.

During a news conference call today, Brown also outlined efforts to avoid a tax increase on middle-class families. With just 19 days for Congress to act, Brown renewed his call on the House of Representative to act on the Senate-passed bill to extend tax cuts for 99 percent of Ohioans – preventing the median-income Ohio family from seeing their taxes increase by $2,200 next year – while reducing the deficit by $829 billion.

 

Brown is urging the U.S. House of Representatives to vote on the Middle Class Tax Cut Act, legislation to extend middle class tax cuts for the 99 percent of Ohio families making less than $250,000 per year. The legislation—which the Senate passed in July 2012— also extends other tax provisions critical to the middle class – the American Opportunity Tax Credit, the expanded Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit – that help families afford college, cover their bills, and provide for their children. 

 

  • The American Opportunity Tax Credit helps middle-class families afford college by covering up to $2,500 of the cost of tuition.
  • The Child Tax Credit provides hard-working families with $1,000 worth of tax relief for each child under age 17.
  • The Earned Income Tax Credit is a refundable credit that offers assistance to working individuals and families who earned less than $49,078 in 2011.

 

Below is a list of local IRS offices where Ohioans can go to find out if they have unclaimed tax refunds.

 

CITY

STREET ADDRESS

DAYS/HOURS OF SERVICE

TELEPHONE

Akron

2 S. Main St.
Akron, OH 44308

Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

(330) 253-7013

Canton

301 McKinley Ave. SW
Canton, OH 44702

Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

(330) 588-4417 

Cincinnati 

550 Main St.
Cincinnati, OH 45202 

Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. 

(513) 263-3333 

Cincinnati
(West Chester) 

9075 Centre Pointe Dr.
West Chester, OH 45069

Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

 

(513) 263-3333 

Cleveland 

1240 E. Ninth St.
Cleveland, OH 44199 

Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

(216) 522-4048 

Columbus 

200 N. High St.
Columbus, OH 43215 

Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

(614) 280-8691 

Dayton 

200 W. Second St.
Dayton, OH 45402 

Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

(937) 610-2182 

Lima 

401 W. North St.
Lima, OH 45801 

Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

(419) 223-5873 

Mansfield 

180 N. Diamond St.
Mansfield, OH 44902 

Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

(419) 522-9204 

Toledo 

Four Seagate
433 N. Summit
Toledo, OH 43604

Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

(419) 213-5165 

Youngstown 

10 E. Commerce St. 
Youngstown, OH 44503 

Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

(330) 746-0006