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IRS says: We are looking for you

They want to give area residents refund checks

By Britt Combs | The McDowell News

Published: November 9, 2009

If you've had a sinking feeling the IRS is searching for you, you might be right. But, according to a press release from the federal tax collecting agency, they might have good news for you.
The Internal Revenue Service is looking for taxpayers who are due to receive a combined $123.5 million in the form of 107,831 refund checks that were returned to the IRS by the U.S. Postal Service due to mailing address errors.
According to the IRS's Web site, there are six persons or households in McDowell County that have money coming to them.
Undeliverable refund checks average $1,148 this year, compared to $990 last year, the press release stated, and some taxpayers are due more than one check.
"We are eager to get this money into the hands of taxpayers, so don't delay if you think you are missing a refund," said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman. "The sooner you update your address information, the quicker you can get your refund."
All a taxpayer has to do is update his or her address once. The IRS will then send out all checks due.
One such taxpayer in McDowell County was Freida and Howard Lytle of Marion.
"My son is a firefighter in Fairview," Freida Lytle said, "and one of his fellow firefighters was searching around in the Internet the other day and saw that and let us know. We followed all the instructions and sure enough, the IRS says they have a check in the mail for us."
Although she declined to say precisely how much the refund would be, she said it was enough to make her day.
"The IRS is honest, I'll say that for them," she stated. "The friend that found that is going to get a free meal out of it. "
The Web site listed five other names in McDowell that were owed money: Corey J. Addison, Ryan K. Kelley and Wayne T. Mooney, all of Marion, Shawn A. Briscoe of Nebo and Norman and Kathy Logan of Old Fort.
Attempts to contact them by telephone were unsuccessful at press time Monday.
Average undeliverable refunds rose by 16 percent in 2009, which is in line with the 16 percent rise in average refunds for all tax returns in the latest filing season. Several changes in tax law likely played a role in boosting refunds the IRS release explained, including the first-time homebuyer's credit and the recovery rebate credit, among others.
The vast majority of checks mailed out by the IRS each year reach their rightful owner the IRS said. Only a very small percent are returned by the U.S. Postal Service as undeliverable.
If a refund check is returned to the IRS as undeliverable, taxpayers can generally update their addresses with the " Where's My Refund?" tool on the IRS's Web site at www.irs.gov. The tool 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 2008 return. The Web site will provide the status of their refund and in some cases provide instructions on how to resolve delivery problems.
Taxpayers checking on a refund over the phone will be given instructions on how to update their addresses. Taxpayers can access a telephone version of "Where's My Refund?" by calling (800) 829-1954.
The IRS encourages taxpayers to choose direct deposit when they file their returns because it puts an end to lost, stolen or undeliverable checks. Taxpayers can receive refunds directly into personal checking or savings accounts. Direct deposit is available for filers of both paper and electronic returns.
The IRS also encourages taxpayers to 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.