IRS says many Minnesotans due unclaimed refunds

The IRS says that nearly 19,000 Minnesotans are due more than $16.2 million in unclaimed tax refunds from 2006.

To collect the money, those people must file a 2006 tax return no later than this coming April 15. Federal law provides most taxpayers with a three-year window for claiming a refund before the money becomes property of the U.S. Treasury.

There's no penalty for filing for a late refund. However, refunds will be held if recipients have not filed returns for 2007 or 2008.

The IRS says some people may not have filed a return because they had too little income to require it. But many did have taxes withheld from their wages or made quarterly estimated payments. The agency estimates that half the Minnesotans who could file and claim a refund for 2006 would receive $552 or more back.

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