IRS has refunds for 34 local taxpayers

Sussex County - Thirty-four Sussex County residents are among 2,623 taxpayers in N.J. still owed refunds by the Internal Revenue Service for 2004. Undeliverable refund checks in the state totaled $2.48 million. The IRS can reissue the checks, which average $946, after taxpayers correct or update their addresses with the agency. In some cases, a taxpayer has more than one check waiting. Nationally, there are 84,290 taxpayers with undeliverable refunds, totaling approximately $73 million, with an average refund of $871. “Our goal is to get this money back in the hands of the people it belongs to,” said Mark W. Everson, IRS commissioner. “Visiting IRS.gov makes it easy for taxpayers to see if they’ve missed a refund.” The “Where’s My Refund?” feature on the IRS.gov Web site provides taxpayers with information about their refunds. It is available from the home page. To use it, taxpayers enter their Social Security number, filing status (such as single or married filing jointly) and the refund amount shown on their 2004 tax return. When the information is submitted, “Where’s My Refund?” will show the status of a refund and, in some cases, provide instructions to resolve potential account issues. In the case of Gulf Coast residents affected by Hurricane Katrina, the IRS will expedite research into the status of undelivered payments and issue a refund check when the original is outstanding. The IRS advises hurricane victims who had been expecting a refund check to call (toll free) 866-562-5227.