Here's a switch: The Internal Revenue Service, whose job includes tracking down those who don't pay their taxes, is trying to track down those who didn't get their refunds.
Nearly 100 people in Lucas County - and scores more across northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan - are owed hundreds of dollars in tax refunds, which haven't been delivered because the IRS can't track them down.
"We want taxpayers to get this money as soon as possible. This money belongs to them, so if anyone thinks they are missing a tax refund, take a few minutes to go on IRS.gov or call the toll-free IRS refund hot line," said IRS spokesman Eric Erickson.
Undeliverable refund checks owed to Ohio taxpayers average $919 this year, significantly higher than last year. Several changes in tax law probably played a role in boosting refunds, including the first-time homebuyer's credit and the recovery rebate credit, among others.
In Lucas County, the average refund owed to taxpayers is $812, and the total amount that the IRS is waiting to return is $79,571. In Wood County, 21 taxpayers are owed an average of $405, with undeliverable refunds totaling $8,496. Fourteen people in Hancock County are owed an average of $681 each.
Nationwide, a combined $123.5 million is due to taxpayers who didn't receive 107,831 refund checks through the mail.Only a small percentage of the millions of refund checks mailed by the IRS each tax season are returned by the U.S. Postal Service as undeliverable.
Taxpayers can update their addresses with the "Where's My Refund?" tool on IRS.gov. The tool enables taxpayers to check the status of their refunds.
To claim a missing refund, a taxpayer must submit his or her Social Security number, filing status, and amount of refund shown on the 2008 return. The tool will provide the status of the refund and in some cases provide instructions on how to resolve delivery problems. Taxpayers can access a telephone version of "Where's My Refund?" by calling 1-800-829-1954.
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