Recent death of spouse

[Proviso4953]

No drivers license for deceased wife. Just email to dam file.

[emilar59]

Ok, I have a weird one, my ex husband died in 2017. In 2020 I received a joint tax refund from 2006. I mailed it back and in 2021 I received the joint tax return again. I called them this time and was told to mail a copy of the death certificate, which I did, then in October I received the joint one again and was told to mail to the Austin Refund Inquiry Unit. My question is am I going to receive this check, or half of it or what. Thanks for any help.

[RobertB4444]

@emilar59 The IRS is understaffed and behind schedule on their correspondence by months.  They may get caught up one day.  In the meantime you can do a couple of different things if the IRS issues you refunds by mistake -

• You can keep the money, knowing that eventually the IRS will ask for it back.  They may not know today that you shouldn't have gotten it but they'll figure it out.  When they do you need to send it back.  Putting any money that you are certain will need to go back to them in a savings account and letting it sit there until you get a letter from them is a good idea.
• You can return the entire refund to the Austin Refund Inquiry Unit.  If you are entitled to a part of the refund you received it is kind of annoying to have to return the whole thing.  But this makes sure that the IRS can't come to you for money later.