Refund

This is archived information that pertains only to the 2003 Tax Year. If you
are looking for information for the current tax year, go to the Tax Prep Help Area.

Line 69 - Amount Overpaid

If line 69 is under $1, we will send a refund only on written request.

If you want to check the status of your refund, please wait at least 6 weeks (3 weeks if you filed electronically) from the date you filed your return to do so. But if you filed Form 8379 with your return, allow 14 weeks (11 weeks if you filed electronically). See page 11 for details.

Tip! If the amount you overpaid is large, you may want to decrease the amount of income tax withheld from your pay by filing a new Form W-4. See Income Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax Payments for 2004 on page 60.

Refund Offset

If you owe past-due Federal tax, state income tax, child support, spousal support, or certain Federal nontax debts, such as student loans, all or part of the overpayment on line 69 may be used (offset) to pay the past-due amount. Offsets for Federal taxes are made by the IRS. All other offsets are made by the Treasury Department's Financial Management Service (FMS). You will receive a notice from FMS showing the amount of the offset and the agency receiving it. To find out if you may have an offset or if you have any questions about it, contact the agency(ies) you owe the debt to.

Injured Spouse Claim

If you file a joint return and your spouse has not paid past-due Federal tax, state income tax, child support, spousal support, or a Federal nontax debt, such as a student loan, part or all of the overpayment on line 69 may be used (offset) to pay the past-due amount. But your part of the overpayment may be refunded to you after the offset occurs if certain conditions apply and you complete Form 8379. For details, use TeleTax Topic 203 (see page 11) or see Form 8379.

Lines 70b Through 70d - Direct Deposit of Refund

Receive your refund in as few as 10 days with IRS efile!

Complete lines 70b through 70d if you want us to directly deposit the amount shown on line 70a into your checking or savings account at a bank or other financial institution (such as a mutual fund, brokerage firm, or credit union) instead of sending you a check.

Note: If you do not want your refund directly deposited into your account, draw a line through the boxes on lines 70b and 70d.

Why Use Direct Deposit?

You get your refund fast—in half the time as paper filers if you e-file.
Payment is more secure—there is no check to get lost.
More convenient. No trip to the bank to deposit your check.
Saves tax dollars. A refund by direct deposit costs less than a check.

Tip! You can check with your financial institution to make sure your direct deposit will be accepted and to get the correct routing and account numbers. The IRS is not responsible for a lost refund if you enter the wrong account information.

If you file a joint return and fill in lines 70b through 70d, you are appointing your spouse as an agent to receive the refund. This appointment cannot be changed later.

Line 70b

The routing number must be nine digits. The first two digits must be 01 through 12 or 21 through 32. Otherwise, the direct deposit will be rejected and a check sent instead. On the sample check on page 57, the routing number is 250250025.

Your check may state that it is payable through a financial institution different from the one at which you have your checking account. If so, do not use the routing number on that check. Instead, contact your financial institution for the correct routing number to enter on line 70b.

Line 70d

The account number can be up to 17 characters (both numbers and letters). Include hyphens but omit spaces and special symbols. Enter the number from left to right and leave any unused boxes blank. On the sample check below, the account number is 20202086. Be sure not to include the check number.

Some financial institutions will not allow a joint refund to be deposited into an individual account. If the direct deposit is rejected, a check will be sent instead. The IRS is not responsible if a financial institution rejects a direct deposit.

Line 71 - Applied to Your 2004 Estimated Tax

Applied to Your 2004 Estimated Tax

Enter on line 71 the amount, if any, of the overpayment on line 69 you want applied to your 2004 estimated tax. We will apply this amount to your account unless you attach a statement requesting us to apply it to your spouse's account. Include your spouse's social security number in the attached statement.

Sample Check-Lines 70b Through 70d