The Internal Revenue Service is looking for 9,662 New Yorkers who are due to receive a combined $23.9 million in the form of refund checks that were returned to the IRS by the U.S. Postal Service due to mailing address errors.“We want New Yorkers to get this money as soon as possible. If you think you are missing a tax refund, take a few minutes to go on IRS.gov or call the toll free IRS refund Hotline,” said Dianne Besunder, IRS spokeswoman for New York. The web site is open 24/7 to help you get your check.
All a taxpayer has to do is update his or her address once. The IRS will then send out all checks due. Undeliverable refund checks for New York taxpayers average $2,471 this year, compared to $1,581 last year. Some taxpayers are due more than one check.
The average dollar amount for returned refunds for New Yorkers rose nearly $900 this year, possibly due to recent changes in tax law which introduced new credits or expanded existing credits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit
While only a small percentage of checks mailed out by the IRS are returned as undelivered, taxpayers can put an end to lost, stolen or undelivered checks by choosing direct deposit when they file either paper or electronic returns. Taxpayers can receive refunds directly into their bank, split a tax refund into two or three financial accounts or even buy a savings bond.
The IRS also recommends that taxpayers file their tax returns electronically, because e-file eliminates the risk of lost paper returns. E-file also reduces errors on tax returns and speeds up refunds. E-file combined with direct deposit is the best option for taxpayers; it’s easy, fast and safe.
The public should be aware that the IRS does not contact taxpayers by e-mail to alert them of pending refunds and that such messages are common identity theft scams. The agency urges taxpayers not to release any personal information, reply, open any attachments or click on any links to avoid malicious code that will infect their computers. The best way for an individual to verify if she or he has a pending refund is going directly to IRS.gov and using the “Where’s My Refund?" tool.
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 www.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 2009 return. The tool will provide the status of their refund and, in some cases, instructions on how to resolve delivery problems.
Information courtesy Internal Revenue Service
