ColeenD3
Expert Alumni

Education

It is possible that the offset occurred anyway.

 

UPDATED: On March 25, 2020, ED announced that my federal tax refund would not be withheld to repay my defaulted federal student loan debt. My refund has already been taken. Will I get it back?

 

Yes, but only if your federal tax refund was in the process of being withheld—on or after March 13, 2020, and before Sept. 30, 2020—for the repayment of a defaulted federal student loan. Your federal tax refund will not be returned to you if the process to withhold your refund was completed before March 13, 2020.

If you have questions about whether your federal tax refund was withheld, call ED’s Default Resolution Group at 1-800-621-3115 (TTY for the deaf or hearing-impaired 1-877-825-9923).

 

Offset

 

Topic 203

 

The Department of Treasury's BFS issues IRS tax refunds and Congress authorizes BFS to conduct the Treasury Offset Program (TOP). Through the TOP program, BFS may reduce your refund (overpayment) and offset it to pay:

  • Past-due child support;
  • Federal agency non-tax debts;
  • State income tax obligations; or
  • Certain unemployment compensation debts owed to a state (generally, these are debts for (1) compensation paid due to fraud, or (2) contributions owing to a state fund that weren't paid).

@kaz2017nat