Do You Have an Unclaimed Tax Refund from the IRS? Easy-to-Use Database at ntu.org Helps You Find Out Fast!
(Alexandria,
VA) – Whether they’re looking for holiday shopping cash on Black Friday or some
extra money to get the family budget out of the red, Americans might find a
little “green” waiting for them in the form of an unclaimed tax refund – and a
consumer-friendly database from the nonprofit National Taxpayers Union (NTU) is
ready to help. NTU has compiled information on nearly $165 million of
undelivered federal tax refund checks on a searchable webpage that can help
people locate their money even more easily than the IRS’s online version. This
is the 10th year NTU and its research affiliate have sponsored the
database, available as a public service at www.ntu.org.
(Click Here to go to the Refund Finder.)
“In
an unpredictable economy like this, just about anyone could use a little more
financial certainty, and getting the tax refund they were originally due can
help in a big way,” said NTU Executive Vice President Pete Sepp. “Our Tax
Refund Finder at www.ntu.org is the first, fastest step to see if the IRS owes you
money.”
Each year, thousands of income tax refund checks are
returned to the IRS as undeliverable because the taxpayer has moved, changed
his or her name, or simply because the check has an incomplete or improper
address. Despite increases in electronic filing and direct deposit options, the
number and amount of unclaimed refunds have risen, perhaps due to recent
changes in the tax laws. Nearly 112,000 taxpayers have one or several checks
coming to them this year, a slight uptick of about 2 percent compared to 2009.
However, the average value of each check is $1,471, a 28 percent jump from last
year.
The NTU database is designed to provide the maximum
flexibility of search options (by name, tax year, or state), so users can find
refunds that may be in limbo because of the problems described above. If they
have a refund to claim, taxpayers are directed to the IRS’s website or
toll-free number, where they can securely arrange to receive their money.
Although the IRS’s website also has an interactive refund feature, the agency
requires taxpayers to provide information that makes it difficult to use for
citizens who aren’t sure whether they have a refund coming, or who can’t
remember how much it might be. And, NTU’s database allows users to check on
whether refunds might be available for friends or loved ones (who would in turn
need to follow up with the IRS).
“Americans who find a ‘lost’ tax refund might think
they’ve received an unexpected holiday gift, but they should remember this is
an overpayment they made to the IRS,” Sepp concluded. “NTU believes this money
should be returned to its rightful owners as quickly as possible, and our Tax
Refund Finder is the handiest tool for the job.”
The
362,000-member NTU was founded in 1969 to work for lower taxes, smaller government,
and taxpayer rights at all levels.
Press Release
