Replacing Refund Check

[erchess]

Client situation - He says he never got a Federal Refund Check that the IRS says was mailed to him. We did the online process of asking for a replacement indicating that he did not get it and did not sign it. Any ideas on when he should expect his check?

[NSNM]

About 4 weeks

Three years ago, one of my clients had an incidence wherein he did not receive the refund check mailed by IRS. On behalf of the client, I called IRS over the phone and gave the details of the incidence. IRS rep told me it would take about six weeks. But TP received the check in about four weeks.

Because TP had checked the box that I could discuss with IRS, the employee was ready to talk to me after verifying my identity. At that time tax return involved was not more than one year. If it is more than one year, IRS employee would not discuss with preparer unless you have Authorization Form.

[S T]

Didn't know you could do online

Wasn't aware you could perform this online - I have always had to send in "paper" affadavits or forms.
Namely Form 3911, and the experience has been about 9 months waiting time.

Website - says 5-8 weeks - here is the link http://www.irs.gov/faqs/faq/0,,id=199567,00.html

Possibly a phone # - not sure if it is current 1-800-829-1954- could be out of date - as I have not had this situation for a few years.

Sorry - Maybe someone else has more current experience with this scenario

Sandy

[FEDUKE404]

Simplest solution?

Direct deposit of the federal refund........

[erchess]

TY all

Thank you for all responses.

Feduke of course DD is better but I don't think this guy has a bank account. He paid me with a postal money order.

[FEDUKE404]

On further review....

Thank you for all responses.

Feduke of course DD is better but I don't think this guy has a bank account. He paid me with a postal money order.

Hmmmm.....methinks you may have answered your own question.

And if the address shown on the tax return differs from any (forwarded) address he has since used, any original check would have automatically been returned to the IRS as "undeliverable" unless someone tried to sticky-finger that little brown envelope.

FE

[kpangelinan]

Had it happen to me one time and that was over 10 years ago.....getting more rare with direct deposit and all. I'd try the Form 3911 mentioned above.

The situation I was in, was actually a forgery, where someone took another person's IRS mailed check and forged their signature and deposited it in their own account. Taxpayer received a copy of the check and the back showing the signature, then another form (forgot which one) was filled out to investigate and several months later, new checks were issued to the taxpayer...not sure what happened to the people who forged the original check, but we could probably make some guesses.

[taxea]

Thank you for all responses.

Feduke of course DD is better but I don't think this guy has a bank account. He paid me with a postal money order.

Erchess- if my client doesn't have a bank account and is over 55 I suggest that they open one with a minimum amount of money so a DD can be made. If they get SS or retirement that check could be DD'd also and then the account would be free at most banks or credit unions.

[erchess]

TY Again All

When the taxpayer left town he went on an extended but thoroughly scheduled road trip crashing with friends. (I will discuss with him very carefully how he has supported himself since he left NC and how it is that nearly all sources of income are taxable before I do his next return if he even engages me. I avoid returns where I can see that someone is living on money the source of which is not readily apparent.) I knew which days he would be where and I had his cell phone if I needed to reach him. We used his Father's address in another state as the address for the return and his Father is supposed to have put his important mail such as tax checks and bills in daily packages and mailed them to where he was going to be next also calling him to tell him what to expect. (Ah the life of a nomad.) So no I don't think the check got lost in the mail unless it did so before it got to the address on the return. Since as of a couple months after being mailed to him it had not been negotiated according to the IRS I don't think he is mistaken or lying about not having gotten it and I don't think it was stolen.

Taxea that was good information about bank accounts. Do you think that would apply to someone who is about to be nomadic for several months? He did know where he was going to go which is Dad's address so I guess we could have had Dad set up a joint account for the two of them. Live and learn.