Undelivered federal tax refunds total $153M

WASHINGTON (WALA) - The IRS is looking for thousands of taxpayers who still don't have their 2010 tax refund.

The undelivered refund checks total $153.3 million, and are being held for 99,123 taxpayers. Many of the checks were returned to the IRS because of mailing address errors.

Taxpayers who believe they still have a refund waiting for them, but haven't received it yet can click here to find out "Where's my refund?" or call 1-800-829-1954.

The IRS encourages taxpayers, when possible, to have their refund deposited directly into their account. The option is available online and on the paper forms.

Last year, more than 78.4 million taxpayers chose to receive their refund through direct deposit. Taxpayers can receive refunds directly into their bank account, split a tax refund into two or three financial accounts or even buy a savings bond.

Filing your taxes electronically can also help reduce errors on tax returns, speed up your refund, and reduce the chance of lost returns.

Warning from the IRS: They will not contact taxpayers by e-mail to alert them of pending refunds.  The IRS will also not ask for personal or financial information through e-mail.