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Jan. 5, 2000

The IRS and the Utah Tax Commission want to give away some money-- millions of dollars, in fact! Keith McCord, what's the catch?

Not really a catch at all. Basically, if you were supposed to get a refund, and for some reason, the check didn't get to you, well, the taxman wants to find you!

"Yeah, give us a call. It's the Utah lottery, so to speak!"

Every year, the IRS and the state Tax Commission mail out thousands of income tax refund checks. Sometimes those checks can't be delivered, usually because the taxpayer has moved and there's no forwarding address.

Even though you may have moved, the tax folks still have your money--and would love to send it to you!

The IRS is currently holding checks for 875 people, totalling $175,936. The refunds are for as little as a dollar. There's one unclaimed check for more than $20,000!

But look at the figures for the State of Utah. It has $52-million just sitting there, checks that 400,000 people haven't claimed!

Doug Johnson/Utah Div. of Unclaimed: "We keep it here in perpetuity. So if they don't come and claim it, then their children or grandchildren can come in years later."

Utah's Unclaimed Property Division deals with more than just uncollected income tax refunds. This office collects money from abandoned bank accounts, old stock certificates, even uncashed payroll checks.

This 10-person office processes hundreds of cases every day. This is the only state agency that actually gives money away!

Johnson: "It's like being Santa Claus year 'round. We're not the taxman, we're just the ones giving the money away, but it's your money!"

It's an interesting problem--people forgetting they have some money that's owed to them. And, each year, the money pot just keeps growing!

Will it ever get down to zero?

Johnson: "I don't think it ever will. We won't always find everybody."

If you think you have a refund coming, you'll need to make a phone call, or check out the government's list of names.

Click here for links and phone numbers.