Last-minute tax filers are rightly focused on April 17, this year’s deadline to submit a federal return for 2011.
But the day also means something to another group of people: Those who paid income tax in 2008 but didn’t file a return for that year.
That's their last chance to put in a claim for a refund that may be coming to them from that year.
The Internal Revenue Service said about $1 billion in unclaimed refunds is out there nationwide from 2008, with about 1 million people potentially eligible for a piece of it.
In Georgia, nearly 36,000 people who could have a refund coming to them did not file a return in 2008. The potential total of their refunds is nearly $31 million. The median potential refund in Georgia is $581.
People don’t file tax returns for reasons including their not having enough income to require filing. College students and senior citizens are particularly affected, the IRS said. Despite relatively low incomes they might have had taxes withheld.
The law grants taxpayers three years to put in their claim, so 2008 returns have to be postmarked by April 17.
Any money that's unclaimed goes to the U.S. Treasury.
Prior year tax forms are available on the Forms and Publications page of IRS.gov, or by calling 800-829-3676.
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