The IRS said Wednesday that unclaimed refunds totaling more than $2 billion are awaiting about 1.7 million people in the United States who failed to file a federal income tax return for 2002.
In Utah, the IRS estimates that unclaimed refunds totaling more than $10 million are waiting for 9,900 people who failed to file a 2002 tax return, with a median refund of $472.
To collect the money, a return for 2002 must be filed with an IRS office no later than April 17. There is no penalty assessed by the IRS for filing a late return qualifying for a refund.
The agency said that in some cases, individuals had taxes withheld from their wages, or made payments against their taxes out of self-employed earnings but had too little income to require filing a tax return. Some taxpayers may also be eligible for the refundable Earned Income Tax Credit.