If I owed state last year and did not pay it will it be taken from my federal this year?

It may. Unpaid state income tax is one of the reasons that your federal refund may be decreased or taken. Generally, you'll get a letter when they do it.

• Contact the BFS's TOP call center at 800-304-3107 (or TTY/TDD 866-297-0517), Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST to see if your refund may be changed.

A refund offset is when an IRS refund is reduced or intercepted to pay off delinquent debt, such as past-due child support, outstanding student loans, or unpaid state income tax.

• You'll get an explanatory letter from the Bureau of the Fiscal Service if your refund is offset. The remainder of your refund will be processed as usual; an offset shouldn't delay it, unless of course your entire refund was applied to your debt.

• More info about refund offsets, including contact info and the appeals process, is available in IRS Tax Topic 203.