Web Feature Helps Locate Lost Refunds

"Where's My Refund?" -- the Internet-based service to check on federal income tax refunds -- now offers a way to trace refund checks and update flawed mailing addresses. The enhancements allow taxpayers to start a trace for lost or missing refund checks and notify the Internal Revenue Service of an address change when a refund check goes undelivered. "This new feature lets taxpayers take quick and easy steps to track down a lost refund," said IRS Commissioner Mark W. Everson. "It can reduce headaches for nearly 88,000 taxpayers who wind up with undelivered refund checks each year." Taxpayers securely access their personal refund information through www.irs.gov, and enter their Social Security number, filing status and the exact amount of their refund. These shared secrets -- data known only to the taxpayer and the IRS - verify that the person is authorized to access the account and make it possible to avoid delays in tracing refunds and changing an address.