Today TaxMama® hears from several people in the TaxQuips Forum with questions about expired refunds. Let me summarize. “I faced a hardship and didn’t file tax returns for several years. Now, I learn that I cannot get my refunds for all those years. Can you help?”



Dear Friends and Family,

My answers to Dustin and to DParker don’t bring much hope.

They do have heartbreaking stories. And I truly wish I had a solution.

But here’s the problem. Even the IRS doesn’t have discretionary control over this matter. These r[s3audio s3url=”http://taxmama.audioacrobat.com/download/taxmama-Expired_Refunds.mp3” /]efunds that have expired, due to the statute of limitations, are controlled by laws passed by Congress – they folks you vote for. You need to get in touch with your legislators to get them to make the law more sympathetic.

The tax code doesn’t provide a way to get those refunds from closed years. When we talk about a ” statute of limitations,” the word “statute” means LAW – in this case IRC 6511.

For future reference, please don’t put off filing your tax returns – no matter how sick or depressed you are. Family and friends, please keep an eye on those you love and help file their tax returns. They don’t need to be totally accurate. If some information is frustratingly elusive – make good estimates and attached a statement to the tax return that this has been done. After all, you have three years to correct the tax return. In the meantime, you save the refund for that year – which would otherwise be lost forever.

What can you do if it IS lost? There IS one thing I would try. You have nothing to lose.
Contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service and see if there is any way they can help you. Sometimes, in extreme situations, they can pull a rabbit out of a hat. And their service is free. I truly wish you-all luck!

To see the rest of this discussion, please drop into the TaxQuips Forum.

And remember, you can find answers to all kinds of questions about unfiled tax returns and other tax and business issues, free. Where? Where else? At www.TaxMama.com.

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