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IRS Wants To Return $12 Million To Floridians

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By MARY SHEDDEN, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 28, 2007

TAMPA - The Internal Revenue Service has released a list of more than 10,000 people in Florida who have failed to pick up federal tax refunds. The Sunshine State loot sitting unclaimed: more than $12 million.

The list of unclaimed 2006 refund checks includes people who may have moved or reported inaccurate addresses.

Refunds can be claimed once taxpayers update their addresses with the IRS.

Nationwide, 115,478 taxpayers are due about $110 million in refund checks. The national average refund, $953, is significantly lower than the Florida average of $1,201.

"The best way to get your refund is to kick the paper habit," IRS spokeswoman Gloria Sutton said. "File electronically and choose direct deposit for your refund. Last year, 61 million taxpayers chose direct deposit instead of requesting a paper refund check."

Curious taxpayers in Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Polk counties can use the refund database on TBO.com to see whether they are owed some cash. Other tools are available via the IRS Web site, www.irs.gov, or by calling 1-800-829-1954.

This year, the IRS has issued almost 105 million refunds. The unclaimed refunds account for a tenth of 1 percent of that total.

The number of unclaimed refunds on 2006 returns increased 21 percent over the previous year. The IRS attributes the sharp increase to the one-time Telephone Excise Tax Refund issued in 2006.

Reporter Mary Shedden can be reached at mshedden@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7365. Keyword: IRS Refund, for a county-by-county breakdown of unclaimed tax refunds.

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