If you’re fortunate enough to qualify for a tax refund, what happens if that money never arrives?
Myla Goff of Lisle got a jump start on filing her tax return this January by visiting an H & R Block preparer. But when her combined $1,716 state and federal tax refunds had not arrived the next month, Goff learned that her taxes were filed featuring someone else’s direct deposit account number.
She recalls her preparer was interrupted several times by other people during her appointment.
“I think what happened is, because of all the interruptions, that, things just got messed up,” Goff said.
Goff filed a claim with H & R Block and later found out a Chase Bank customer had her money. Goff also banks with Chase. However, she said Chase told her there was nothing it could do because the bank could not pull money from the other customer’s account.
The Internal Revenue Service requested information from Chase, but Goff said nothing came of it. She said she’s had to put a lot of things on hold while waiting for her refund.
“I’ve had to for nine months try and chase down money that is rightfully mine,” Goff said.
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NBC 5 Responds contacted Chase Bank. A spokesperson said Goff’s refund was identified and moved to a suspense account. A few days later Chase mailed Goff a check for $1,716.
But that’s not all.
H & R Block also send Goff a check for $1,654, which a spokesperson called a customer service gesture.
Goff offered to return the check to H & R Block, but the company said it was not requesting any additional action from Goff.
“I am happy with everything you have done,” Goff said. “Just to even have someone respond to me like I’m a human being, that meant a lot.”
The IRS said it assumes no responsibility for tax preparation errors. However, a spokesperson said the Taxpayer Advocate Service within the IRS could possibly help taxpayers who find themselves in a similar situation.
