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Americans at risk of missing out on ‘permanent’ $810 payments from $94m pot – the exact steps to claim cash
Scroll down to find out the state-by-state estimates for potential refunds for taxpayers filing their 2021 tax return
AMERICANS risk missing out on an $810 payment from a massive pot worth $94million - and the deadline is fast approaching.
Right now, there are a few easy steps you can take to claim your cash.
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The IRS believes that over 1.1 million people across the US have unclaimed refunds for the 2021 tax year, per its website.
Under the law, taxpayers have three years to file and claim on their tax refunds.
If they don't the money becomes the property of the US Treasury.
The IRS is looking to give away a pot worth $94million to Texas taxpayers.
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If you're not in Texas - fear not.
Each state will be entitled to specific amount, based on things like how many individuals in the area are able to claim.
But you need to act fast as the 2025 tax season is in its final stretch and the filing deadline fast approaching.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently reminded taxpayers of the April 15 deadline.
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There are several ways you can your tax return, mainly by creating an individual IRS account online.
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Taxpayers who need financial assistance may be eligible for free filing with the IRS's Free File.
The Free File is a public-private partnership between the IRS and tax preparation and filing software industry companies.
These companies decided to work with the IRS to provide their online tax preparation and filing for free.
It provides two ways for taxpayers to prepare and file their federal income tax online for free: Guided Tax Software and Free File Fillable Forms.
There are lots of easy mistakes to avoid when filing your taxes which apply every year.
One of the most frequent mistakes is submitting incorrect personal details.
This could look like typing the wrong Social Security number or even misspelling a name.
It might sound too easy to be true, but giving the wrong birthday, your form could be flagged by the IRS.
Look below to find out the state-by-state estimates for potential refunds for taxpayers filing their 2021 tax return:
| State or district | Estimated number of individuals | Median potential refund | Total potential refunds (excluding credits) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 18,100 | $743 | $16,048,100 |
| Alaska | 3,600 | $832 | $3,464,100 |
| Arizona | 28,700 | $680 | $24,284,300 |
| Arkansas | 10,200 | $709 | $8,742,300 |
| California | 116,300 | $600 | $92,299,600 |
| Colorado | 19,200 | $781 | $17,267,500 |
| Connecticut | 11,700 | $860 | $11,092,500 |
| Delaware | 4,400 | $790 | $4,112,700 |
| District of Columbia | 2,700 | $883 | $2,642,900 |
| Florida | 69,800 | $732 | $61,087,200 |
| Georgia | 38,500 | $720 | $33,515,300 |
| Hawaii | 5,500 | $865 | $5,281,800 |
| Idaho | 5,500 | $649 | $4,495,800 |
| Illinois | 44,500 | $892 | $42,482,800 |
| Indiana | 25,000 | $778 | $22,581,300 |
| Iowa | 10,900 | $797 | $9,911,600 |
| Kansas | 9,700 | $746 | $8,640,200 |
| Kentucky | 13,800 | $747 | $12,098,400 |
| Louisiana | 17,000 | $777 | $15,278,200 |
| Maine | 4,100 | $817 | $3,714,100 |
| Maryland | 22,900 | $837 | $21,766,300 |
| Massachusetts | 27,000 | $936 | $26,581,100 |
| Michigan | 40,300 | $854 | $37,301,500 |
| Minnesota | 15,900 | $670 | $13,224,100 |
| Mississippi | 9,600 | $701 | $8,283,600 |
| Missouri | 22,900 | $722 | $19,960,200 |
| Montana | 3,600 | $679 | $3,068,800 |
| Nebraska | 5,000 | $760 | $4,439,000 |
| Nevada | 13,700 | $783 | $12,347,800 |
| New Hampshire | 4,800 | $833 | $4,509,400 |
| New Jersey | 31,700 | $657 | $26,537,500 |
| New Mexico | 7,200 | $843 | $6,569,300 |
| New York | 73,000 | $995 | $72,477,100 |
| North Carolina | 35,800 | $719 | $30,754,100 |
| North Dakota | 2,400 | $781 | $2,147,100 |
| Ohio | 39,400 | $762 | $34,735,100 |
| Oklahoma | 15,400 | $739 | $13,501,500 |
| Oregon | 19,300 | $772 | $16,981,500 |
| Pennsylvania | 53,100 | $993 | $52,121,800 |
| Rhode Island | 3,600 | $946 | $3,487,000 |
| South Carolina | 14,400 | $683 | $12,313,300 |
| South Dakota | 2,600 | $745 | $2,237,700 |
| Tennessee | 21,000 | $708 | $18,085,400 |
| Texas | 102,200 | $810 | $94,792,200 |
| Utah | 8,700 | $696 | $7,553,700 |
| Vermont | 2,400 | $816 | $2,136,900 |
| Virginia | 28,500 | $749 | $25,896,200 |
| Washington | 35,200 | $880 | $33,716,000 |
| West Virginia | 4,800 | $818 | $4,422,800 |
| Wisconsin | 14,300 | $730 | $12,425,300 |
| Wyoming | 2,100 | $790 | $1,922,800 |
| Totals | 1,142,000 | $781 | $1,025,336,800 |
For more information on taxes and rebates, check out The U.S. Sun's tax schedule.
It comes as a new round of Supplemental Security Income checks are set to start hitting accounts in April.
Following two Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments in February, beneficiaries will receive their April payment as scheduled.
Some Americans have also been getting checks in the mail over the past few weeks that aren't their tax refunds.
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The direct payment instead comes from a program that seeks to give cash back to those who are owed, and it was recently signed into law.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and the General Assembly took action to ensure the initiative, Money Match, returned unclaimed property to residents, per the state's treasury website.
2025 Tax Season
Tax season started on January 27 and folks must have theirs completed filed on April 15.
Those who fail to file by that time may face penalties.
However, taxpayers who need more time may file for an extension - this gives them until October 15.
The way to do this is by filling out Form 4868, the Application for Automatic Extension of Time To File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return.
This can be done by mail, online with an IRS e-filing partner, or through a tax professional.
While there’s no set schedule, the IRS revealed that taxpayers may receive refunds within 21 days of filing.
Just be sure to avoid making mistakes on any forms as that could tack on extra time.
Those filing through mail will likely get their returns within a month or could even face delays as the IRS processes millions.
As of January 31, the average refund amount totaled $1,928, per the IRS.
This is compared to the $1,395 for the same period in 2024.
The average direct deposit refund for 2025 was even higher, the IRS said, at $2,069.
To check the status of your refund, The IRS has an online tool called Where's My Refund?
This works within 24 hours of e-filing and generally within four weeks of filing a paper return.