ANCHOR: The I-R-S says more than $67 million in refunds remains unclaimed by taxpayers. In addition, there’s hundreds of millions more in missing money waiting to be found.

ANCHOR: Is any of that money yours? WGN’s Money Saving Expert Ilyce Glink is here with some ways to find out.

GOOD MORNING

ILYCE: IT’S EASY TO LOSE TRACK OF MONEY THAT SHOULD BE YOURS. STOCK CERTIFICATES GET MISPLACED, A JOB YOU HAD 20 YEARS AGO MIGHT OWE YOU A PENSION OR 401(K), OR YOU MIGHT HAVE RECEIVED AN INHERITANCE THAT YOU NEVER KNEW ABOUT. IF YOU’VE RECEIVED A LETTER OR PHONE CALL FROM A COMPANY TELLING YOU THEY’VE IDENTIFIED MONEY IN YOUR NAME AND FOR A FEE THEY’LL TELL YOU WHERE TO FIND IT, THAT’S A CLUE THAT YOU OUGHT TO START LOOKING YOURSELF.

LOOK FOR LOST PENSIONS
PBGC.GOV
15,000 PENSIONS FOUND

ILYCE: START YOUR SEARCH FOR A LOST PENSION AT THE PENSION BENEFIT GUARANTEE CORPORATION’S HOME PAGE AT PBGC.GOV. THERE, YOU CAN SEARCH FOR LOST PENSIONS BY NAME. NEARLY 15,000 LOST PENSIONS HAVE BEEN FOUND.

FDIC.GOV
“UNCLAIMED FUNDS”

BANKRATE.COM
SEARCH FOR MISSING MONEY

ILYCE: IF YOU BELIEVE YOU’RE MISSING A BANK ACCOUNT, OR A BANKING INSTITUTION IN WHICH YOU KEPT MONEY FAILED AND YOU HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED YOUR FDIC FUNDS, YOU CAN CHECK IT OUT AT FDIC.GOV. PUT UNCLAIMED FUNDS INTO THE SEARCH ENGINE AND FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS. AT BANKRATE.COM, YOU CAN SEARCH FOR MISSING MONEY BY NAME IN ALL 50 STATES.

ILYCE: FINALLY, IF YOU NEVER RECEIVED YOUR TAX REFUND, YOU SHOULD CONTACT THE IRS THROUGH ITS WEBSITE. WHILE YOU’RE THERE, CHECK OUT HOW TO E-FILE FOR FREE, WHICH IS MY MONEY SAVING TIP FOR YOU THIS WEEK. MOST AMERICANS HIRE SOMEONE TO HELP THEM FILE THEIR FEDERAL AND STATE INCOME TAX FORMS. THAT CAN BE EXPENSIVE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU GET A LOAN FROM THE INCOME TAX PREPARATION COMPANY AGAINST YOUR ANTICIPATED REFUND. LAST WEEK, PRESIDENT BUSH ANNOUNCED A NEW PROGRAM THAT WILL ENABLE ABOUT 60 PERCENT OF AMERICANS TO ELECTRONICALLY FILE THEIR INCOME TAX FORMS FOR FREE. IF YOU QUALIFY THE COMPANIES THAT HAVE PARTNERED UP WITH THE I-R-S WILL DO YOUR TAXES FOR YOU FOR FREE, AND THEN E-FILE YOUR RETURN WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THAT MEANS, YOU DON’T PAY ANYTHING TO FILE. PLUS, IF YOU E-FILE, YOU SHOULD GET YOUR REFUND WITHIN 10 DAYS, IF YOU REQUESTED DIRECT DEPOSIT. TO FIND OUT HOW TO DO THIS, SIMPLY GO TO

www.irs.gov
www.firstgov.gov

FOR A LIST OF ELECTRONIC TAX PREPARERS. TUNE IN NEXT WEEK FOR ANOTHER ONE OF MY MONEY-SAVING TIPS. OR LOG ON TO WGNTV.COM/GLINK.