The Enid News and Eagle, Enid, OK

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August 5, 2008

More than 1,400 Garfield County residents

Staff reports



While most Oklahomans already have received and spent their federal tax rebate checks issued this summer, the Internal Revenue Service says more than 70,000 Oklahomans still qualify to receive rebates. The first thing they have to do, however, is file a tax return.

David Stell, IRS spokesman from Oklahoma City, said 1,436 of those people live in Garfield County.

The problem is, the people left who qualify normally don’t file tax returns. They are typically retirees and disabled veterans who don’t file a return because their benefits are not taxable. Stell said if those people would go ahead and just file a tax return, they could receive an economic stimulus check.

“Most people only need to file a tax return as they normally do,” Stell said.

In Garfield County, about $400,000 in rebates have gone unclaimed. Garfield County is No. 12 in counties to have the most unclaimed rebates. It’s the only county in northwest Oklahoma to make the Top 20 list in number of Oklahomans remaining to file for payments.

For people who have no tax liability or no tax filing requirement, there is a minimum payment of $300 ($600 for married couples), plus $300 for each qualifying child. To be eligible for the minimum payment, a person must have at least $3,000 in qualifying in-come. Qualifying income includes any combination of earned income, nontaxable combat pay and certain benefit payments from Social Security, Veterans Affairs and railroad retirement.

People not otherwise required to file an income tax return should file Form 1040A with basic information to ensure they receive the economic stimulus payment. This information includes name, address, dependents (if any), amount of qualifying income (which must be $3,000 or more), direct deposit information and signatures.

Forms 1040A and instructions are available on the IRS Web site at www.irs.gov or by calling (800) TAX-FORM (829-3676).

The deadline to file a tax return to receive the rebate is Oct. 15.

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