How Did Someone Hijack My Tax Refund?!
People who waited until Wednesday’s deadline to file their tax returns may have found that someone hijacked their refund. That’s what happened to several of my clients this year. Here are a couple of their stories: One client arrived home to find a letter from the IRS that they were conducting a review of questionable income amounts and claims for credits listed on his return. His conversation went like many thousands before... Client: " What return? I haven't even filed yet. " IRS: " Ummm…yes you have ". Well my client was right of course; he hadn't filed his return...but someone else had filed it for him. Other clients discovered the identity theft when I attempted to electronically file the return. The IRS will not accept a return that has already been filed. Naturally, the first question they ask me is: " How can this happen? " That's a good question and one I myself wanted to know the answer too. Th...