IRS owes NC residents $44 million in back tax refunds. See how you could claim it.

Chyna Blackmon
Updated ·2 min read

Ahead of the tax filing deadline, the Internal Revenue Service says millions of people across the country, including those living in North Carolina, have unclaimed tax refunds.

The IRS recently announced almost $1.5 billion in unclaimed refunds because people have yet to file their 2019 tax returns.

In North Carolina, about 45,800 people can receive refunds from a $44 million unclaimed reserve. That works out to an average of $862 per person, the IRS said

By law, taxpayers usually have three years to file and claim tax refunds, or the money becomes the property of the U.S. Treasury.

Usually, the regular filing deadline falls around the April tax deadline, but the three-year window for 2019 unfiled returns was postponed to July 17 due to the COVID-19 pandemic emergency.

“The 2019 tax returns came due during the pandemic, and many people may have overlooked or forgotten about these refunds,” said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. “We want taxpayers to claim these refunds, but time is running out.”

It’s not just tax refunds some may miss out on by not filing. The IRS says many low and moderate-income workers may be eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit, valued up to $6,557 for 2019.

The IRS says your 2019 tax refund may be held if you have not filed tax returns for 2020 and 2021. Refunds will also 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.

What to do if you need to file a 2019 tax return

You can find current and prior year tax forms and instructions on the IRS’s online Forms, Instructions & Publications page. You can also call 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676) for more information.

You can also gather the necessary information to file a 2019 tax return in these ways:

  • Request copies of key documents: You can request old W-2, 1098, 1099, or 5498 forms from 2019-2021 from employers, banks, or other payers.

  • Get Transcript Online tool: If you can’t get missing tax forms from employers, you can order a free wage and income transcript using the IRS’ Get Transcript Online tool.

  • Request a transcript: You can file Form 4506-T with the IRS to request a wage and income transcript, which shows data from information returns received by the IRS.