More than 1.3 million U.S. taxpayers are at risk of losing their tax refunds if they do not act soon. According to the IRS, more than $1.2 billion in tax refunds remain unclaimed, which are set to expire soon, as reported by The Mirror.
These returns are from 2022, and they must be claimed by April 15, 2026. The median refund is $686, meaning half of eligible taxpayers would receive more than that amount.
That is not all; some might get even more, as these do not include extra credits, as reported by Investment News. Thus, by not filing their taxes, many are missing out on money they are owed.
Usually, the IRS provides a three-year window to claim tax refunds. After that, the money goes to the U.S. Treasury and will no longer be available for claiming.
🚨 $1.2 BILLION about to expire. Are you in the 1.3 million who haven’t claimed their 2022 refund?
April 15 is FINAL deadline. Act now or lose it forever.#IRS #TaxRefund #April15 #UnclaimedCash #TaxAlert #RefundDeadline #GetYourMoney #TaxNews #FinanceTips #ActFast pic.twitter.com/rDurSabKPN
— National Tax Preparers of America (@ntpadotcom) March 23, 2026
It is also crucial to note that if tax returns for 2023 and 2024 are not filed, refunds for 2022 may be withheld.
If taxpayers have outstanding debts, they may not receive refunds directly.
The government will first verify that the individual is free of any outstanding dues. If not, the refund may be applied to that debt instead of going directly to the individual, according to the IRS report.
It also stated, “Current and prior year tax forms, such as the tax year 2022 Forms 1040 and 1040-SR, and instructions are available on the IRS.gov Forms & Instructions page or by calling toll-free 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).”
There are several ways to still claim these tax refunds, but one needs to move quickly through the process.
They may need forms like W-2, 1099, 1098, or 5498 for 2022, 2023, or 2024. If they do not have them, they can request copies of these from their employer, bank, or other payers.
If that is not an option, taxpayers can go to the IRS website and search for “Get Transcript Online.” With this, they can download a wage and income transcript free of charge.
According to the IRS website, “For many taxpayers, this is by far the quickest and easiest option.”
Another option is for individuals to file the Form 4506-T, to request a “wage and income transcript.”
Haven’t Filed your 2022 1040
Don’t lose out on 1.2 billion dollars in iRS refunds
That is exactly what will happen if you don’t file your 2022 tax return by April 15, 2026
Still time but Act Todayhttps://t.co/FhzqGvWiFC
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— Tax Relief Services (@808taxes) March 23, 2026
The IRS report stated, “A wage and income transcript shows data from information returns received by the IRS, such as Forms W-2, 1099, 1098, Form 5498 and IRA contribution information. Taxpayers can use the information from the transcript to file their tax return.”
However, the report also mentioned that this step can take several weeks. Hence, they “strongly” urge taxpayers to try the other ways first.
The IRS also released a state-by-state estimate of unclaimed 2022 refunds. More information is available on the IRS website.
