By Ashley Conroy
JACKSON, MS - Holiday season is here and many Mississippians might have delayed their shopping because they never received their 2009 tax refund.
The IRS says 1,028 people have yet to receive it totaling almost $1.2 million dollars owed to tax payers.
WLBT obtained the entire list from the Internal Revenue Service where all but 4 counties across the state were listed.
Spokesperson Dee Stepter says their goal is to notify everyone because some may not realize if their name is on this list.
"We want to assure these individuals there is no time limit for reissuing refunds that have been returned to the IRS as undelivered," Stepter said.
She says the reason people haven't received their check is because they haven't updated their address information. "We are urging people to update their address as soon as possible because it will take 4 to 6 weeks to reissue their check."
Long time tax preparer, Tony Hufman says the reason this information often doesn't get updated is the difference in e-filing, and filing by mail.
"Electronic filing speeds up the refund, direct deposit puts it directly into your bank account," Huffman said. "You don't have to worry about someone stealing your check out of your mail box, you don't have to worry about it being lost in the mail."
He says the best way to receive your refund check timely is to contact the IRS and update your information.
"IRS may have mailed that refund check to another address. So if you've moved, relocated, you need to send a change of address form to the IRS."
The IRS says refund checks should be delivered by mail approximately four weeks after taxpayers update their address, meaning some unclaimed money could arrive just in time for Christmas.
The IRS says undelivered refunds in Mississippi average $1,144 this year, up from $822 in 2009.
The IRS says taxpayers can update their addresses with the "Where's My Refund?" tool on http://www.IRS.gov by submitting their Social Security number, filing status and the amount of the refund shown on their 2009 return or calling 1-800-829-1954.
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