Time is Running Out: Claim Your 2022 Tax Refund Before It Disappears

If you delayed filing your 2022 tax return, you might be leaving money on the table. The IRS estimates that over a million taxpayers have unclaimed refunds from 2022, totaling roughly $1.5 billion. However, the window to collect those funds is rapidly closing. To claim your 2022 refund, your return must be filed by April 15, 2026. After that date, the money permanently becomes the property of the U.S. Treasury.

More Than Just Withholdings at Stake

Failing to file does not just cost you your standard refund of withheld taxes. Many low- to moderate-income individuals miss out on valuable refundable benefits like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Furthermore, eligible taxpayers might be forfeiting refundable portions of the child and education credits.

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Mailing Rules and Refund Holds

Since the IRS e-file system no longer accepts 2022 returns, you must submit a physical paper copy. By law, it must be properly addressed and postmarked by April 15, 2026. We strongly advise taking it directly to the post office for an official stamp rather than risking a drop in a corner mailbox. Keep in mind, the IRS will hold your 2022 refund if you are missing returns for 2020 or 2021. Any refund will also be automatically applied to existing IRS debts, unpaid child support, or defaulted student loans.

Let Us Help You File

Paper returns take extra time to prepare, print, and mail, so swift action is necessary. Contact our office immediately so we can get your 2022 taxes sorted and ensure you do not forfeit your money to the government.

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