WHERE IS MY REFUND?

I filed my tax return some time ago and was supposed to get a refund but I have not received it. Can I call the IRS to find out what is happening? How do I call?

Renee

Renee, you do not even need to call. Simply go out to the IRS website, fill out a couple of questions and they will give you the status of your refund. Here is a hot link. Let me know if you have any problems.

Larry Kopsa CPA

Check on Your Refund

NOW THAT’S SOME REFUND

Laura Schultz was expecting to hear from the IRS. After all, the Denver-area house cleaner owed the IRS about $80. But when she opened up a letter from the IRS, it wasn’t quite was she was expecting: a refund check for $122,783.51.

Schultz felt that it was a mistake – and it was. She called the IRS and they told her to destroy the check, which she did.

Of course, I know what you’re thinking: why didn’t she just keep the check? Because she knew better. I’ve gotten this call more than once from a client. The IRS always figures it out eventually (it’s pretty hard to misplace more than $100,000 for long) and you’re then stuck with repaying the principal plus interest.

And trust me, that’s not a letter that you want to get…Larry Kopsa CPA

WHERE IS MY REFUND?

I filed my 2008 taxes and was supposed to get a refund. Is there a way that I can check the status?

Ted

Ted, the IRS has made checking the status of your refund pretty easy. If you already filed your federal tax return and are due a refund, you can check the status of your refund online. Just go to www.IRS.gov and click on Where's My Refund?

Where’s My Refund? gives you online access to your refund information. If you e-file, you can get refund information 72 hours after IRS acknowledges receipt of your return. If you file a paper return, refund information will be available within three to four weeks.

When checking the status of your refund, have your federal tax return handy. To get your personalized refund information you must enter:

• Your Social Security Number (or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number).


• Filing status (Single, Married Filing Joint Return, Married Filing Separate Return, Head of Household, or Qualifying Widow(er)).


• Exact refund amount shown on your tax return.

I hope that you get your refund soon.

Larry Kopsa CPA

WHERE'S MY REFUND?

Larry, I filed my tax return quite some time ago and still haven't received my refund. Do you know how I can find out when I'll get it?

Finding the status of your tax refund is very simple. Just go to www.irs.gov and click on "where's my refund" on the right hand side of the page. It's quick, easy and secure. Be prepared with the following information: Social Security Number; Filing Status; and Refund amount shown on your return. Let me know if you have any questions.

Larry Kopsa CPA

QUESTION ON QUALIFYING FOR A TAX REFUND

Q. Could you help me? I read in the paper about money we are supposed to get from the government to stop this depression. I was told that since I was retired and because of my low income, I don’t need to file a tax return. How do I get my check from the IRS.

A. First of all, I must correct you in that we are not in a depression, as a matter of fact; technically we are not even in a recession. My understanding is that the government thinks we might go into a recession so they are sending checks.

Having said that, you most likely still will qualify for a refund of taxes even though you are not paying any taxes. The government is working on a method to solve your problem.

For recipients of Social Security and certain veterans’ benefits, and low-income workers who don’t normally need to file, the IRS has released a special version of a Form 1040A that highlights the simple, specific sections of the return that can be filled out by people like yourself to qualify for a stimulus payment.

“Most taxpayers just need to file a 2007 tax return in order to automatically receive the stimulus payment,” said Acting IRS Commissioner Linda Stiff. “But we are especially concerned about recipients of Social Security and veterans’ benefits who may need to take special steps this year to file a tax return in order to obtain a stimulus payment. IRS.gov will help taxpayers get what they need.”

There is a Frequently Asked Questions section – accessible through the front page of http://www.irs.gov/ -- includes an extensive set of information for all taxpayers with questions about the stimulus payments, commonly referred to as rebates. The questions and answers include important information for low-income workers and certain recipients of Social Security, Railroad Retirement benefits and veterans’ benefits.

The special IRS.gov section also features extensive examples of how much taxpayers can expect to receive in stimulus payments. The page includes more than two-dozen payment scenarios affecting different types of taxpayers.

The IRS will begin sending taxpayers their economic stimulus payments in early May, after the current tax season concludes. In most cases, the payment will equal the amount of tax liability on the tax return, with a maximum amount of $600 for individuals ($1,200 for married couples who file a joint return). Payments to more than 130 million households will continue over several weeks during the spring and summer. A payment schedule for taxpayers will be announced in the near future on www.IRS.gov.