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Tax agencies hoping for many happy returns

Posted November 28, 2007 10:00 pm

As 2007 comes to a close, at least 9,430 Illinoisans are due state income tax refunds, but the Illinois Department of Revenue has not been able to track down the residents.

The state revenue agency originally had nearly 17,000 refund checks this year that were kicked back as "undeliverable," but the department found updated addresses for about 7,400 recipients, spokeswoman Katherine Ridgeway said Wednesday. She said the rest of the checks have been voided and sent to the state comptroller's office; recipients can still get their refunds.

Ridgeway said taxpayers may check the status of a refund by calling a toll-free number, 1 (800) 732-8866, or by going to the revenue agency's Web site, www.revenue.state.il.us. There, visitors can click on the link "Individuals" to select an option called "Where's My Refund?"

Earlier this month, the Internal Revenue Service reported that it could not find 4,200 Illinoisans who are owed federal income tax refunds worth a total of $4 million.

U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Chicago, said his northwest-side congressional district has about 800 potential recipients who are owed an average of $1,000 by the federal government.

"A thousand dollars ain't chump change (with) rising gas prices, rising college cost, rising health-care costs, the cost of raising a child," he said Wednesday at a news conference to publicize the unclaimed refunds.

Emanuel's congressional Web site, www.house.gov/emanuel, includes a text file with the names of the 4,200 Illinoisans and links to the IRS' Web site. He said many on the list probably have moved to new addresses since they filed their taxes earlier this year.

Nationwide, the IRS said more than 115,000 Americans are due a total of $110 million in unclaimed refunds.

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