ST LOUIS  — The Internal Revenue Service is looking for 4,963 Missouri taxpayers who are missing refunds and stimulus payments worth more than $3 million.

In Missouri, 1,350 regular refund checks, averaging $723, and 3,761 economic stimulus checks averaging $550, were returned by the U.S. Postal Service due to mailing address errors.

“We want to get this money to the people it belongs to,” said Michael Devine, IRS spokesperson. “It’s really a simple process. As soon as the owner updates their address with the IRS, we can reissue the check.”  

Nationally, the IRS is looking for taxpayers who are missing more than 279,000 economic stimulus checks totaling about $163 million and more than 104,000 regular refund checks totaling about $103 million. “It is crucial that taxpayers who may be due a stimulus check update their addresses with the IRS by Nov. 28, 2008,” said Devine.  By law, economic stimulus checks must be sent out by Dec. 31 of this year. 

Devine said there are two self-service tools available on the IRS web site, www.irs.gov:

• “Where’s My Stimulus Payment?” is the quickest and easiest way for a taxpayer to check the status of a stimulus check and receive instructions on how to update his or her address.

• “Where’s My Refund?” helps taxpayers find out if they have a regular refund.

“Checks are often returned to the IRS because a life change — such as a marriage or divorce — causes an address change,” said Devine.  He explained that if a taxpayer moves or changes their address and fails to notify the IRS or the U.S. Postal Service, a refund check sent to their last known address is returned as undeliverable.

Taxpayers who have moved since filing their last tax return can ensure the IRS has their correct address by filing Form 8822, Change of Address, with the IRS. Download the form from the IRS Web site at www.irs.gov or request it by calling 1-800-829-3676.

Taxpayers without access to the Internet who think they may be missing a refund check or economic stimulus payment can call the IRS Refund Hotline at (800) 829-1954; or the Economic Stimulus Payment Hotline at (866) 234-2942. Both automated tools are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Devine said taxpayers can avoid undelivered tax refunds by choosing to have their refunds deposited directly into a personal checking or savings account. Direct deposit guards against undelivered, lost or stolen refund checks. The option is available for both paper returns and electronically-filed returns.

The IRS lists the following residents, or past residents, of Gasconade, Franklin and Crawford counties who have not received their tax refunds or economic stimulus payments. Some of these may be deceased.
Owensville
Mae E. Baecker, Nancy L. Bayless, Claude Brunk, Donald J. Green, Genevieve Heimes

Hermann
Nancy J. Manzi, Ronald M. and Julie A. Martin, Adella Mueller, Dennis R. Biermann, Paula M. Rueda, Verna K. Stancil,

Bland: Jacob D. Nevills

Gerald
Agnes D. Farrell, Mark J. Breeden

Leslie: Anthony B. Barton

New Haven
Whitney N. Eckerle, Brittan J. Hill

Sullivan
Andrew Miller, Christopher A. Negretti, Teresa A. Padgett, Zachary B. Scaggs, David Hawley, Wilson C. Gray, Leo M. Wiese, Terri Sifford, Joseph E. Bantle, Deana J. Basinger, Christopher M. Beaver, William Jonagan, Walter E. Ledbetter, Kenneth Chandler

Cuba
Dennis C. Courtway, Robert and Rebecca R. Birkner, Randall S. Jaycox, Stephen D. Lumley, Brian E. Meyers, Dwayne L. Smith, David O. and Dorothy M. Sutton

Bourbon
Glen J. Cantrell, Gregory G. Coffman, Lucille H. Ray, Roy A.  and Loree Ward.

Leasburg
Ronald P. Bieser, David W. Bouse, John E. Douglas, Richard C. Hall

Union
Rodney R. Cameron, Jr., Ricardo M. and Paola F. Davila, Mary J. Declue, Kenneth J. Dickey, Bob J. Lathim, Micheal A. Mathes, Tommie and Vicky L. Thacker, Andrew R. Vandyke, Jeffrey D. Wendt, Zachary L. Williams, Mollie Michelle Enderle, Jeremy T. Farmar, Albert W. Eaton, III

Washington
David A. Bullion, Mildred Kormeier, Joseph R. Lamke, Ko S. Lim, Scott and Judy Lindauer, Jacob A. Gordon, Kathryn Weaver, Cecil E. Whitmer, Jessica N. Pennock

Steelville
Mary N. Crass, Madelyn C. Kraus, Trent Spindler, Joshua J. Yarrow

St. Clair
Mark J. Douglas, Natalie J. Loveless, Trevor S. Beebe,  Billy J. and Monica Masson, Gregory J. and Regenia Gaszak, James E. Spurgeon, Saint Clair

Gray Summit
Keneth J. Voyles, Jerry M. Pehle, Gray Summit

Pacific
Melissa A. Harper, Ron Wertenderger, Jessica N. Ridley, Elizabeth V. Bleitz, Kerrie A. Allen, Tavia A. Brown, Frank J. and Marilyn J. Baricevic, Crystale L. Maxwell, Steven J. Maxwell

Villa Ridge
Alta W. Hicks, George F. Beagle

Catawissa
George K. Danso, Jr.
Lonedell: Ronald D. Bull, Jr.Tommie and Vicky L. Thacker, Andrew R. Vandyke, Jeffrey D. Wendt, Zachary L. Williams, Mollie Michelle Enderle, Jeremy T. Farmar, Albert W. Eaton, III