The IRS has the names but not the addresses of more than 2,000 Colorado residents who are owed $2.2 million in refunds.
The Internal Revenue Service says 2,312 checks it mailed out with refunds were returned because of bad addresses. The average refund is $956, and some taxpayers have more than one check waiting for them.
Nationally, about 115,000 checks were returned to the IRS, totaling $110 million in refunds.
“It’s hard to believe this many taxpayers don’t miss their tax refunds, but it happens year after year,” said Jean Carl, spokeswoman for the IRS in Colorado.
Refund checks are mailed to the address on a taxpayer’s return. The refund is sent back if the taxpayer moves without providing a new address to the IRS or the U.S. Postal Service.
There are a number of ways to claim a lost refund. Taxpayers can visit and click “Where’s my Refund?” to learn the status of a refund. They must provide a Social Security number, filing status and amount of the refund shown on their 2006 return.
They also can update their address on the same website.
Another option for taxpayers is to phone the IRS at 800-829-1954 to check the status of a refund and to update an address. If they need further assistance, they can call the IRS’s toll-free assistance line at 800-829-1040.
The IRS also advises that lost refunds can be prevented by having the IRS deposit refund checks directly into a taxpayer’s bank account. This can be requested on the tax-return form.
Mike McPhee: 303-954-1409 or mmcphee@denverpost.com
