In a tax season when many have complained about diminished or disappearing refunds, the Internal Revenue Season announced Wednesday that unclaimed income tax refunds totaling almost $1.4 billion may be waiting for an estimated 1.2 million taxpayers who did not file a 1040 for 2015.
The IRS estimates the midpoint for the potential refunds for 2015 is $879.
To collect, these taxpayers must file their 2015 federal returns no later than this year's tax deadline, April 15. Taxpayers in Maine and Massachusetts have until April 17.
“Students, part-time workers and many others may have overlooked filing for 2015,” said IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig in a statement.
Taxpayers seeking a 2015 tax refund may have their checks held if they have not filed tax returns for 2016 and 2017. In addition, the refund will be applied to any amounts still owed to the IRS or a state tax agency, and may be used to offset unpaid child support or past due federal debts, such as student loans.
State-by-state estimates of individuals who may be due 2015 income tax refunds
| State or district | Estimated no. of individuals | Median potential refund | Total potential refunds* |
| Arizona | 27,300 | $780 | $29,486,000 |
| Arkansas | 11,200 | $824 | $12,000,000 |
| California | 111,200 | $832 | $124,397,000 |
| Colorado | 23,500 | $824 | $26,173,000 |
| Connecticut | 12,700 | $952 | $15,981,000 |
| Delaware | 4,800 | $886 | $5,570,000 |
| District of Columbia | 3,400 | $918 | $4,219,000 |
| Florida | 84,000 | $887 | $95,697,000 |
| Georgia | 41,100 | $799 | $44,754,000 |
| Hawaii | 7,000 | $935 | $8,523,000 |
| Idaho | 5,200 | $712 | $5,209,000 |
| Illinois | 45,800 | $924 | $54,804,000 |
| Indiana | 26,900 | $895 | $30,670,000 |
| Iowa | 12,300 | $913 | $13,737,000 |
| Kansas | 12,700 | $874 | $14,283,000 |
| Kentucky | 15,700 | $874 | $17,246,000 |
| Louisiana | 22,600 | $884 | $26,759,000 |
| Maine | 4,700 | $806 | $4,820,000 |
| Maryland | 25,700 | $897 | $31,274,000 |
| Massachusetts | 26,100 | $973 | $32,579,000 |
| Michigan | 39,700 | $873 | $45,535,000 |
| Minnesota | 18,000 | $813 | $19,222,000 |
| Mississippi | 11,200 | $814 | $12,032,000 |
| Missouri | 27,000 | $825 | $29,008,000 |
| Montana | 4,100 | $831 | $4,521,000 |
| Nebraska | 6,300 | $870 | $6,923,000 |
| Nevada | 13,700 | $867 | $15,728,000 |
| New Hampshire | 5,500 | $976 | $6,859,000 |
| New Jersey | 33,100 | $960 | $41,353,000 |
| New Mexico | 8,600 | $860 | $9,950,000 |
| New York | 62,500 | $964 | $77,662,000 |
| North Carolina | 37,100 | $831 | $39,955,000 |
| North Dakota | 3,700 | $980 | $4,493,000 |
| Ohio | 43,600 | $852 | $47,428,000 |
| Oklahoma | 19,100 | $886 | $22,006,000 |
| Oregon | 17,900 | $779 | $19,118,000 |
| Pennsylvania | 46,000 | $934 | $53,541,000 |
| Rhode Island | 3,300 | $949 | $4,025,000 |
| South Carolina | 14,600 | $777 | $15,701,000 |
| South Dakota | 3,300 | $928 | $3,646,000 |
| Tennessee | 24,000 | $853 | $25,976,000 |
| Texas | 129,300 | $929 | $158,244,000 |
| Utah | 9,300 | $791 | $9,859,000 |
| Vermont | 2,200 | $876 | $2,388,000 |
| Virginia | 32,900 | $867 | $38,441,000 |
| Washington | 32,400 | $939 | $40,142,000 |
| West Virginia | 5,900 | $948 | $6,979,000 |
| Wisconsin | 16,100 | $787 | $16,532,000 |
| Wyoming | 3,300 | $958 | $3,964,000 |
| Totals | 1,197,600 | $879 | $1,379,412,000 |
*Excluding credits
