The Internal Revenue Service has announced that there are nearly $93 million in tax refunds waiting for California taxpayers who did not file a tax return for 2009.
On Thursday, the IRS announced that an estimated 984,400 taxpayers across the U.S. did not file a federal income tax return for 2009. Now, there are potential refunds totaling over $917 million that could be claimed by those non-filing taxpayers.
The IRS says more than half of those potential refunds for 2009 are more than $500.
In California, an estimated 100,700 individuals did not file a 2009 return. The IRS says the median potential return for those non-filing individuals is $518, and nearly $93 million statewide.
In order to collect the money, a return for the 2009 tax year must be filed with the IRS no later than Monday, April 15, 2013. There is no penalty for filing a late return qualifying for a refund.
According to the IRS, some people may not have filed in 2009 because they had too little income to require filing a tax return even though they had taxes withheld from their wages or made quarterly estimated payments.
The IRS says the law gives most taxpayers a three-year window to claim a refund in cases where a return was not filed. If no return is filed within that window, the money becomes property of the U.S. Treasury.
For 2009 returns, that window closes on April 15, 2013.
The IRS says 2009 refund checks may be held if taxpayers have not filed tax returns for 2010 or 2011. The refund may also be applied to any amounts still owed to the IRS, or to offset unpaid child support or past due federal debts.
Additionally, the IRS says many low-and-moderate income workers may not have claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). For 2009, the credit is worth as much as $5,657, depending on income, filing status and dependents.
For more information, visit the IRS website or the EITC home page.
Photo Credit: Getty Images