Taxpayers Have Until Monday to Claim $1.5 Billion in 2019 Refunds

Time is quickly running out for nearly 1.5 million taxpayers who are still eligible for almost $1.5 billion in unclaimed 2019 tax refunds, and the Internal Revenue Service and tax preparers are urging people to check whether they are eligible for a refund.

The deadline to file a tax return for 2019 is Monday, July 17. By law, taxpayers can still file their taxes up to three years after the deadline.

The average unclaimed tax refund averages $893 for those who haven’t filed. In addition to refunds from withholdings in their paychecks, taxpayers could also be eligible for the earned income tax credit, offering as much as $6,557. 

There are several categories of taxpayers who are eligible for returns but don’t file, said Mark Steber, chief tax information officer at tax preparation service Jackson Hewitt.

Often, these unfiled returns are from part-time workers who didn’t earn enough to be required to file, but may not be aware that a refund or earned income tax credit could be waiting for them.

“It happens every year, 1 million people fail to collect their overdue refund, it boggles the mind,” said Steber, adding that the IRS and tax preparation firms publicize the date to try to get people to file. “Those are forfeited refunds that people just won’t go and claim.”

How to Check if You Are Eligible for a Refund

Taxpayers who are unsure whether they are owed a 2019 refund can start by checking their transcript from that year, which is available at this link. Taxpayers can also call 800-908-9946 for information on their transcript. 

The transcript shows what tax forms the IRS has received for individual taxpayers for that year, such as W-2 and 1099 forms. Steber said tax preparers are available online and in person to help with past-year filings as well. 

In releasing the data, the IRS broke out the 2019 unclaimed refunds by state, with the average owed per taxpayer varying from $759 for Idaho to $959 for West Virginia. 

If you haven’t filed taxes for 2020 or 2021, the IRS could hold the refund check, and any refund that’s awarded will be applied to outstanding IRS, state tax debts, unpaid child support or other federal debts, the agency said.