IRS has refund checks for 622 Hawai'i taxpayers

By Walter Wright
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hoping a rich old uncle will leave you some money in time for Christmas shopping?

It could happen for 622 of you, according to your rich old Uncle Sam.

The Internal Revenue Service announced yesterday it is looking for 622 Hawai'i taxpayers — and not because they failed to file, but because they are entitled to a total of $463,675 in undelivered refund checks.

"We want to get the money back to where it belongs," IRS Acting Commissioner Bob Wenzel said. "As soon as taxpayers get us their correct addresses, we can reissue the checks."

The reason checks go astray is often because people move, the service said.

According to the U.S. Postal service, 17 percent of the nation's population moves each year. The Postal Service processed 44 million change-of-address cards last year.

If taxpayers move or change their address and fail to notify the IRS or the Postal Service, a check sent to their last address is returned to the IRS.

It's easier this year to find out if you have a refund check awaiting.

For the next two weeks, you can just log on to the IRS home page on the Internet at www.irs.gov and click on the section titled "Where's My Refund."

Taxpayers who enter their Social Security number, filing status and refund amount shown on their return should be transferred to a Web page that shows the status of their refund check.

On Dec. 2, the "Where's My Refund" feature will shut down to make way for the 2003 filing season coming up in January. Beginning on Dec. 2, taxpayers can check on refunds by calling the IRS Refund Hotline at (800) 829-1954.

Meanwhile, the IRS said, those who don't have Internet access should check their records or contact their tax preparer, then call the IRS toll-free assistance line at (800) 829-1040 to update their address and see if there is a refund check waiting for them.

Reach Walter Wright at wwright@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8054.