Thousands of Southern California and LA residents due IRS checks bounced by the U.S. Post Office | ABC7 Los Angeles

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By ABC7

Sunday, October 26, 2008

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Through September, the IRS says it has distributed 116 million economic stimulus checks worth almost $100 billion. Billions more have been sent out in the form of tax refunds. But the IRS says thousands of American taxpayers never got those checks because they failed to give the service their current address.

The problem is especially serious in L.A. County, where the IRS says more than 8,000 taxpayers have yet to receive economic stimulus checks, totaling more than $5.3 million. In addition, nearly $5 million in regular tax refunds due to L.A. County residents were returned to sender.

If you think your tax refund or stimulus check was returned to sender, check one of the links below:

According to IRS spokesman Eric Erickson, once a taxpayer updates their address, all checks due will be sent. Taxpayers who may be due a stimulus check must update their addresses with the IRS by Nov. 28, 2008. By law, economic stimulus checks must be sent out by Dec. 31 of this year.

For information over the phone about how to update an address with the IRS, call (800) 829-1954.

The "Where's My Stimulus Payment?" tool on IRS.gov is the quickest and easiest way for a taxpayer to check the status of a stimulus check and receive instructions on how to update his or her address. Taxpayers can also call (866) 234-2942.

Check the status of your economic stimulus check at IRS.gov

Taxpayers can update their addresses with the "Where's My Refund?" tool on IRS.gov. Taxpayers can also check the status of their refunds. Taxpayers can also call (800) 829-1954.

Check the status of your IRS refund at IRS.gov

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