Have you claimed your 2022 tax refund? April 15 deadline looms
$1.2 billion in unclaimed tax refunds
More than 1.3 million Americans have unclaimed 2022 tax refunds totaling over $1.2 billion, with a deadline to claim that money coming up on April 15, 2026. Nicole Middendorf joins us to explain who may be eligible, why so many refunds are still unclaimed, and what you need to do now if you think some of that money could be yours.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - There is about $1.2 billion remaining in unclaimed federal tax refunds from 2022, and you have about two weeks left to claim them before it goes to the U.S. Treasury.
2022 unclaimed tax refunds
What we know:
The Internal Revenue Service estimates about $1.2 billion in federal tax refunds remain unclaimed from 2022. If you think you have unclaimed funds, you have until April 15, 2026 to file a 2022 Form 1040.
The IRS says more than 1.3 million people have unclaimed refunds, with a median of $686. If you didn’t file, get your W-2s/1099s from 2022, complete your tax return and mail it to the IRS. Electronic filing may not be available.
The unclaimed refunds are either the result of not filing a federal return in 2022, or a return was filed and a check was sent to wrong address if the taxpayer moved, or possilbywent to the wrong bank account.
How to claim your 2022 refund
What you can do:
- Gather your 2022 income records or use the IRS Get Transcript tool to get your 2022 Wage and Income Transcript.
- Download the 2022 Form 1040 or 1040-SR from the IRS website.
- Complete the 2022 return and sign it. The return must be mailed to the IRS.
Other tax reminders
Why you should care:
- Check for other possible missing years. You must file all required returns (2022, 2023, 2024) to receive your refund. If you do not file within three years (by April 15, 2026, for the 2022 return), the money becomes property of the U.S. Treasury.
- Claim Credits: If you had low-to-moderate income, you may be eligible for the 2022 Earned Income Tax Credit, which was worth up to $6,935.
- Refund Status: You can use the IRS Where’s My Refund tool to track the status of your return.
- No Penalty: There is no penalty for filing late if you are owed a refund.