Taxpayers have just two days to recoup more than $1 billion in unclaimed refunds, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has warned.
Around 900,000 people are estimated to be missing out on valuable funds because they have yet to claim their 2020 tax refund. The deadline to make a claim is May 17.
Typically, there is a three-year deadline to claim refunds before the cash becomes property of the US Treasury.
In previous years, the normal filing deadline to claim old refunds has fallen around the same time as the federal tax deadline, which was April 23 for 2023 returns.
But an extension was granted for 2020 refunds due disruptions arising from theCovid-19 pandemic.
IRS gave details on the states owed the most in tax refunds from 2020. All states were owed but Texas residents are owed the most - more than $107 million
IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said on March 25 that almost 940,000 taxpayers in the US have unclaimed funds from 2020 tax year - that number has now fallen slightly
The average median refund for 2020 is $932, according to the IRS, but this varies by state, with some typical payouts as much as $1,031.
Data from the government body shows Texans are owed the highest amount of total refunds. An estimated 93,400 residents in the Lone Star state are owed $107,130,200 in rebates.
California has the second highest sum of possible refunds, with $94,226,300 owed to 88,200 people.
New York comes in third, with$60,837,400 owed to 51,400 residents.
The IRS predicts53,200 Floridians could still claim more than $58 million, while 38,600 people living in Pennsylvania could be sitting on$43,412,900 in unclaimed cash.
Pennsylvania residents are also due the highest average payout at $1,031, closely followed by New Yorkers at $1,029.
How to check if you are owed - and claim
Current and prior year tax forms (such as the tax year 2020 Forms 1040 and 1040-SR) and instructions are available on the IRS.gov forms and instructions page or by calling toll-free (800-829-3676).
SOURCE: IRS
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'There's money remaining on the table for hundreds of thousands of people who haven't filed 2020 tax returns,' IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said in a statement earlier this month.
'We want taxpayers to claim these refunds, but time is running out for people who may have overlooked or forgotten about these refunds.'
Werfel added that the 'extremely unusual situations' many faced during the pandemic could have led them to forget about a potential refund on their 2020 tax returns.
'People may have just overlooked these, including students, part-time workers and others. Some people may not realize they may be owed a refund,' he said.
Everyone that is hoping to receive these 2020 funds this year must meet certain requirements.
The IRS confirmed in a March 4 announcement that most taxpayers who were US citizens or US residents in the respective year are eligible.
However, anyone who fits that qualification must also not be a dependent of another taxpayer and have a social security number issued before the tax return's due date.
The 2020 funds can also be claimed for someone who passed away that year or later.
But it is important for individuals to be able to file efficiently and correctly.
The 2020 funds that the IRS is referring to are from the Covid-era Recovery Rebate Credit
The IRS reminded taxpayers in their recent statement that there are ways to get their forms before the May deadline.
Taxpayers who are eligible for the 2020 refunds are advised to start the process of filing those returns early.
In order to do so, filers should request copies of 2020 documents as soon as possible.
'Taxpayers who are missing Forms W-2, 1098, 1099 or 5498 for the years, 2020, 2021 or 2022 can request copies from their employer, bank or other payers,' the IRS indicated on their website.
For those who are not able to get those forms from their employer or other payers, they can just order a free wage and income transcript through the IRS Get Transcript Online tool.
The agency noted that taxpayers who are looking to file a Form 45-6-T with the IRS should request a wage and income transcript.
That transcript will show data from information returns received by the IRS such as W-2s and 1099s.
Although requests for these transcripts can take several weeks, it will provide the information needed to file a tax return.
