OSKALOOSA — Of all the residents who live in Mahaska County, three have refund checks owed to them from the Internal Revenue Service because they are on the undeliverable refund list.

Brady D. Dewitt, Donnie D. Hicklin and Stephanie Dykstra, all of Mahaska County, are on a list with 471 other Iowa taxpayers owed approximately $333,375. Unfortunately, recent attempts by the IRS to track these individuals down to inform them of the good news have proven unsuccessful. These are taxpayers who have money waiting for them, in terms of income tax refund checks, but many aren’t aware of it. The IRS sent out checks to these taxpayers, but they came back as undeliverable.

“Every year, many taxpayers miss their refunds because they move without notifying the IRS or Postal Service of a change of address,” IRS Commissioner Mark W. Everson said in a press release issued Nov. 16. “For those missing their check, the IRS is making it easier than ever for taxpayers to update their information and claim their refunds.”

IRS refund checks can be reissued as soon as taxpayers correct or update their addresses with the IRS.

Taxpayers can use the “Where’s My Refund?” feature on the home page of the IRS.gov Web site to learn the status of their refunds. To use it, a taxpayer must enter a Social Security number, filing status (such as single or married filing jointly) and the refund amount shown on the taxpayer’s 2005 tax return. When the information is submitted, “Where’s My Refund?” will display the status of a refund and, in some cases, provide instructions on how to resolve potential account issues.

“Where’s My Refund?” now has an online mailing address update feature for taxpayers whose refund checks were returned to IRS. If an undeliverable check was originally issued within the past 12 months, the taxpayer will be prompted online to provide an updated mailing address.

The address update feature is only available to taxpayers using the Web version of “Where’s My Refund?” Taxpayers with undelivered refund checks who access “Where’s My Refund?” by phone will receive instructions on next steps. Individuals whose refunds were not returned to IRS as undeliverable cannot update their mailing addresses through the “Where’s My Refund?” service.

Taxpayers can access a telephone version of “Where’s My Refund?” by calling 1-800-829-1954.

Those who do not have access to the Internet and think they may be missing a refund should first check their records or contact their tax preparer, then call the IRS toll-free assistance line at 1-800-829-1040 to update their address.

IRS spokesperson Christopher Miller said Monday one step the IRS uses to track down taxpayers owed a refund is to compare the address for the current refund check with the address used from the last tax return. He said they might also compare an address with other documents.

“Then we’ll send notices to those addresses if they’re different, saying, ‘Hey taxpayer, you may have a refund coming. We need information from you to update your address,’” Miller said.

When all else fails, Miller said the last resort for the IRS is to approach the media in the hopes they will publish the undeliverable refund list. The complete official list of IRS undeliverable refund checks can be found at www.oskaloosa.com.

“Our goal is to get this money back in the hands of the people it belongs to,” Miller said in the press release. “Visiting IRS.gov makes it easy for taxpayers to see if they’ve missed a refund.”

Refund checks can go astray for a variety of reasons. Sometimes a life change results in a change of address. When a taxpayer moves or changes address and fails to notify the IRS or the U.S. Postal Service, a check sent to the taxpayer’s last known address is returned to the IRS.

Miller recommended one way taxpayers can avoid lost or undeliverable mail in the future is to file tax returns electronically and than utilize direct deposit with their financial institution.

“First of all, because e-filing is one of the best ways for most Americans to file their taxes. It’s fast, accurate, safe and secure,” Miller said. “And then if you choose direct deposit, the check goes right from us into your account in as little as two weeks and you avoid any potential problems with the mail.”

A check of surrounding counties indicate eight are on the list from Wapello County, five from Jasper County, two from Marion County, one from Keokuk County and one from Lucas County.

Nohemi Balcazar Vitrago, of Ottumwa

Curtis Benge, of Ottumwa

Araceli Cortez, of Ottumwa

Israel Galindo Alvarado, of Ottumwa

Sonja L. Drummond and Jeffrey S. Larkin, of Ottumwa

Mauricio G. Munoz Gonzalez, of Ottumwa

Matthew C. Wright, of Ottumwa

Larry D. and Karen S. Meixner, of Eldon

Lawrence Rankin, of Knoxville

John and Ida Kloosterman, of Pella

Lewis O. Booker, of Russell

Kristen L. Sieren, of Hedrick

Gerald F. Blaeser, of Monroe

Margaret M. Brandt, of Newton

Robert D. Carter, of Newton

Grace E. Steiner, of Newton

Melinda Sue Fisher, of Newton

Across the U.S., an average refund of $963 is waiting for 95,746 taxpayers whose refund checks have been returned to the Internal Revenue Service as undeliverable. The checks total $92.2 million.

Herald Staff Writer Michel Schaffer can be reached by email at mschaffer@oskyherald.com