STOP! LOOK! FILE! Even If You Don’t Have To File A Tax Return, File The 1040EZ-T To Get Your Telephone Excise Tax Refund!!!

Many many years ago, (actually during the Spanish -American War), Congress began taxing long distance or bundled telephone use. Many many years later, the last court case fighting the telephone excise tax was done and the Court decided that Congress needed to return the money taken over the years. How to figure the refund out? Well, not wanting to just throw up the bank doors, the refund is limited to those who had paid that federal excise tax after February 28, 2003 and before August 2006. There are two ways to calculate the exact refund: either the taxpayer provides proof of the taxes that they paid or applies for a set amount — all during the 2006 tax year. The IRS was kind enough to come up with a form especially for those folks who do not make enough money to file a return every year–this would usually be retirees. The form can be found here.

The form is only one page, with three pages of explanations (the IRS has never been known to be a paper-saver). The standard amount is found on page 3: from $30 to $60 depending on the number of exemptions you would be claiming if you had filed a regular return. If records were kept, it may be significantly higher if you can prove the amount you spent during that time period was higher.

So, fill out the name and address, your social, the $30/$40/$50/$60 amount, sign it and mail it. That’s it. You don’t have to have had federal or state taxes withheld from any paycheck or social security monies…it is a refund of money you paid from 2003 to 2006. Even if a person has died, their estate is entitled to that money!!!