DETROIT — Federal income tax refunds totaling $1 billion may be waiting for an estimated one million taxpayers who did not file a federal income tax return for 2011. Of that total approximately 36,200 are from Michigan and may miss out on more than $34,254,000 in unclaimed 2011 refunds. To collect the money, these taxpayers must file a 2011 tax return with the IRS no later than Wednesday, April 15, 2015.
“It’s countdown time for Michigan residents that didn’t file a 2011 federal income tax return to claim their refund,” said IRS Spokesman Luis D. Garcia. ” Just because you don’t make enough income to be required to file a tax return doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. People like students and part-time workers in particular could be missing out on a significant chunk of refund money.”
The IRS estimates half of the potential refunds for 2011 are more than $698 across the country and $721 in Michigan.
In cases where a tax return was not filed, the law provides most taxpayers with a three-year window of opportunity for claiming a refund. For 2011 tax returns, the window closes on April 15, 2015. If no return is filed to claim a refund within three years, the money becomes property of the U.S. Treasury.
The law requires the tax return be properly addressed, mailed and postmarked by that date. There is no penalty for filing a late return that qualifies for a refund.
Current and prior year tax forms and instructions are available on the IRS.gov Forms and Publications page, or by calling toll-free: 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676). Taxpayers who are missing Forms W-2, 1098, 1099 or 5498 for the years: 2011, 2012 or 2013 should request copies from their employer, bank or other payer.
Taxpayers can get a free transcript showing information from these year-end documents by going to IRS.gov or file Form 4506-T to request a transcript of their tax return.
| 2014 FILING SEASON STATISTICS | |||||
| Cumulative statistics comparing 3/21/14 and 3/20/15 | |||||
| Individual Income Tax Returns: | 2014 | 2015 | % Change | ||
| Total Receipts | 82,823,000 | 82,289,000 | -0.6 | ||
| Total Processed | 81,149,000 | 80,439,000 | -0.9 | ||
| E-filing Receipts: | |||||
| TOTAL | 75,610,000 | 76,022,000 | 0.5 | ||
| Tax Professionals | 43,953,000 | 42,711,000 | -2.8 | ||
| Self-prepared | 31,657,000 | 33,311,000 | 5.2 | ||
| Web Usage: | |||||
| Visits to IRS.gov | 207,734,597 | 231,552,756 | 11.5 | ||
| Total Refunds: | |||||
| Number | 67,383,000 | 66,108,000 | -1.9 | ||
| Amount | $193.543 | Billion | $191.233 | Billion | -1.2 |
| Average refund | $2,872 | $2,893 | 0.7 | ||
| Direct Deposit Refunds: | |||||
| Number | 57,101,000 | 57,944,000 | 1.5 | ||
| Amount | $170.187 | Billion | $176.058 | Billion | 3.4 |
| Average refund | $2,980 | $3,038 | 1.9 | ||
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