TAX GRAB

Taxpayers are feeling the pinch of a new law targeting decades old debt – wiping out tax refunds for thousands unsuspecting taxpayers. Buried in a 700 page bill, a tiny section tucked away on page 561 spells it out: lingo allowing the government to come after taxpayers for its own financial mistakes, indefinitely. For many, it happens without warning. Our report takes a look at who’s being affected, including a Chicago-area woman whose refund was snatched because of a 45-year-old debt.