Federal tax refunds that are undeliverable or unclaimed add up to billions of dollars each year. In 2006 the figure was $1.3 billion, and this money is taxpayer-owned, waiting to be returned to the person who earned the money. State departments of revenue, like the IRS, are holding on to billions in unclaimed state tax refunds as well. Every state handles this missing money in a different manner, but like the federal government, there is a limit to how far back an unclaimed refund can go before the money reverts to the state. Learn how to answer the question "Where's my state tax refund?" and claim these lost funds.
Where's My State Tax Refund?
There are two main reasons for unclaimed state tax refunds being held by the state, leading people to ask "Where's my state tax refund?": undeliverable addresses and failure to file. In the case of an undeliverable address the solution is simple. Contact the state department of revenue to claim a lost check. The DOR will typically require some form of identification to prove that the money can be released legitimately, and the check will be reissued within a reasonable time frame (six to eight weeks, typically).
In the case of failure to file, residents need to file state tax returns for the year in which the refund is expected. Many taxpayers fail to file, even when they know they will receive a refund, out of a mistaken fear that filing late will result in a penalty. In general, if taxpayers are owed a refund there is no penalty for late filing, so file as soon as possible to start the process for receiving an unclaimed state tax refund.
Unclaimed State Tax Refunds and State Departments of Revenue
Each state in the U.S. has a website for its department of revenue. The DOR offers a wide range of services to each resident. For instance, the Alabama Department of Revenue's website offers a section on finding the status of a refund, but also information on:
- Free online tax return filing
- Locations of taxpayer service centers for help with filing
- Taxpayer advocate information to get free assistance with tax problems
- Forms to be downloaded and printed
and so much more. Other states, such as California, use a different term than DOR. In California the agency is called the Franchise Tax Board, and its website offers help with:
- Locating unclaimed state tax refunds
- Filing online
- Locating records of past tax payments
- Forms for downloading and printing
- Information on court-ordered debts and tax refunds
and so forth. Go to the specific state's website, click on the link related to tax refund status, and follow the system's prompts to learn about policies for claiming lost refunds.
Be certain to explore every link and resource possible related to finding this missing money, and act promptly. Refunds fro the federal government expire after three years, and different states have different expiration times, so acting immediately is crucial for getting abandoned checks.
Related Articles on Missing Money
To learn more about finding lost assets, unclaimed tax refunds, missing inheritance cash and more, please read the following articles:
Free Unclaimed Inheritance Search - Looking for lost assets from a deceased relative? Think there might be an unclaimed inheritance worth finding? Learn more about the process of finding missing money as an heir here.
Where's My Tax Refund? - Find missing federal IRS tax refunds and learn how to make a claim.
Free Unclaimed Money Search - Search for missing inheritance, lost stocks or bonds, or any abandoned property.
Melanie Zoltan - Melanie Zoltan is a former college professor and administrator who has written for About.com, PCWorld, Brain Child, Thomson Gale, and ...
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