Tax return check on 1040 form background

Uncle Sam is checking his list — more than twice — in a continuing search for folks who are awaiting refunds on their hard-earned money earlier this year, and who could use a little extra cash this holiday season.

As Thanksgiving departs and the shopping season heats up, IRS officials are stepping up efforts to find the 681 Kansans whose tax refund checks never made it to their lawful recipients.

Quite simply, they want to give you your money back.

“This is your tax refund,” said Michael Devine, a regional spokesman for the IRS. “You could have it by Christmas.”

The pending refunds — average amount: $1,015 — actually had been mailed out earlier this year but returned to the IRS as undeliverable, usually because the taxpayer had moved or had provided officials with an incorrect address.

The IRS still has 32 checks originally sent to addresses in Lawrence. A third of those taxpayers on the list for pending refunds are listed on Kansas University’s current online directory, typically as students.

Claiming a pending refund is simple, Devine said:

l Go online to IRS.gov, and click on the “Where’s My Refund?” link. Be sure to use “.gov” because other addresses that include IRS could lead to fraudulent sites.

“This is always a time to be very careful about scams,” he said.

l Enter your name, filing status and exact amount of refund owed. “All this information is on your last year’s tax return, and you should have a copy of your tax return,” he said. “You should always have a copy of your tax return.”

Taxpayers also may call the IRS Refund Hotline, at (800) 829-1954. The line is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“We have been unsuccessful in contacting these taxpayers, and … their refunds are waiting for them,” Devine said. “As soon as they update their mailing addresses, the treasury can cut a new check and they will have their refund in four to six weeks.”

Taxpayers may avoid such problems in the future by choosing to receive their refunds via direct deposit, sending money directly into a taxpayer’s designated checking or savings account. Nearly two-thirds of all Americans receiving refunds during the past year opted for direct deposit, a process that cut the time waiting for a refund from six or 12 weeks to 10 days or less.

“We really want people to use direct deposit, so we don’t have anybody on the undeliverable list,” Devine said.