Tax Refunds for Identity Theft Victims Likely to be Delayed

Are you an identity theft victim?  Well, you are likely to be more victimized this tax season.

Last year, identity theft victims were told to expect to wait 180 days (or approximately 6 months) for their tax returns to be processed.  According to Taxpayer Advocate Service, an IRS watchdog group, the delay this year could be similar or even longer than last year's wait.

The IRS waits to give tax refunds until it completes a load of internal paperwork, even if the IRS has already determined that the identity theft victim is entitled to a refund.

When the Taxpayer Advocate Service reported to Congress recently, it recommended faster refund access and setting up a single point of contact for victims.  However, the IRS contends that its current system is effective and that it has improved procedures for stopping identity theft.  Let's hope so, because tax return identity theft has been rampant the last few years.