---
title: The IRS Has $950 Million for People Who Haven't Filed 2012 Tax Returns
description: 'Have you filed your 2012 taxes? If not, you could be in for a windfall: the median refund is $718.'
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published: '2016-03-10T19:26:19.000Z'
modified: '2016-03-10T19:26:19.000Z'
section: Taxes
tags:
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  - Tax Refund
  - Taxes
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canonical: https://money.com/irs-unclaimed-tax-returns-1-billion-refund/
type: Article
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![1040 Forms and TurboTax Application Illustrations Ahead Of 2015 Tax Season](https://img.money.com/2016/03/gettyimages-511757628.jpg)

Did you file your 2012 income tax return with the IRS? If not, you could be in for a windfall.

According to the IRS, around one million taxpayers did not file tax returns in 2012 and as a result, there's around $950 million in unclaimed refunds waiting to be collected. But to get the money, you need to file by April 18, 2016. After that, it becomes *everybody's* money--the IRS isn't obligated to hold onto it after three years.

IRS Commissioner John Koskinen noted that students and other low-earners are likely to be the rightful owners of these refunds and encouraged them to file a return. "Don't forget, there’s no penalty for filing a late return if you’re due a refund,” he said [in a press release](https://www.irs.gov/uac/Newsroom/IRS-Has-Refunds-Totaling-950-Million-dollars-for-People-Who-Have-Not-Filed-a-2012-Federal-Income-Tax-Return).

If you're one of these people and are wondering whether it's worth it to try your hand at a Form 1040 or buy TurboTax, the IRS says the median refund for 2012 is around $718. However, the refund will be withheld to those who owe taxes or backed child support.

Failing to file would not only mean missing out on potential refunds, but for longer-income filers, missing out on the Earned Income Tax Credit that can be worth up to $5,891, according to the IRS.

Here's a list of all the states, the numbers of people with money waiting, and the amounts:

<table style="height:3153px"><tbody><tr><td>State or District</td><td><p>Estimated Number of Individuals</p></td><td><p>Median Potential Refund</p></td><td><p>Total Potential Refunds*</p></td></tr><tr><td>Alabama</td><td><p>18,700</p></td><td><p>$713</p></td><td><p>$16,684,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Alaska</td><td><p>4,700</p></td><td><p>$834</p></td><td><p>$5,019,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Arizona</td><td><p>26,000</p></td><td><p>$631</p></td><td><p>$22,078,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Arkansas</td><td><p>10,100</p></td><td><p>$692</p></td><td><p>$8,987,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>California</td><td><p>94,900</p></td><td><p>$656</p></td><td><p>$82,782,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Colorado</td><td><p>19,300</p></td><td><p>$667</p></td><td><p>$16,961,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Connecticut</td><td><p>11,800</p></td><td><p>$803</p></td><td><p>$11,511,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Delaware</td><td><p>4,200</p></td><td><p>$771</p></td><td><p>$4,012,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>District of Columbia</td><td><p>3,600</p></td><td><p>$741</p></td><td><p>$3,343,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Florida</td><td><p>64,700</p></td><td><p>$721</p></td><td><p>$58,598,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Georgia</td><td><p>34,300</p></td><td><p>$642</p></td><td><p>$29,395,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Hawaii</td><td><p>6,500</p></td><td><p>$740</p></td><td><p>$6,091,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Idaho</td><td><p>4,400</p></td><td><p>$607</p></td><td><p>$3,652,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Illinois</td><td><p>40,300</p></td><td><p>$782</p></td><td><p>$38,893,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Indiana</td><td><p>22,000</p></td><td><p>$751</p></td><td><p>$20,448,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Iowa</td><td><p>10,800</p></td><td><p>$764</p></td><td><p>$9,917,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Kansas</td><td><p>11,000</p></td><td><p>$699</p></td><td><p>$9,811,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Kentucky</td><td><p>13,500</p></td><td><p>$746</p></td><td><p>$12,122,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Louisiana</td><td><p>20,600</p></td><td><p>$726</p></td><td><p>$19,767,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Maine</td><td><p>4,100</p></td><td><p>$651</p></td><td><p>$3,432,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Maryland</td><td><p>22,600</p></td><td><p>$722</p></td><td><p>$21,108,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Massachusetts</td><td><p>20,600</p></td><td><p>$767</p></td><td><p>$19,714,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Michigan</td><td><p>34,600</p></td><td><p>$733</p></td><td><p>$32,118,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Minnesota</td><td><p>15,200</p></td><td><p>$657</p></td><td><p>$12,981,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Mississippi</td><td><p>10,800</p></td><td><p>$646</p></td><td><p>$9,325,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Missouri</td><td><p>22,800</p></td><td><p>$675</p></td><td><p>$19,886,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Montana</td><td><p>3,500</p></td><td><p>$669</p></td><td><p>$3,083,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Nebraska</td><td><p>5,400</p></td><td><p>$695</p></td><td><p>$4,720,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Nevada</td><td><p>12,500</p></td><td><p>$704</p></td><td><p>$11,280,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>New Hampshire</td><td><p>4,400</p></td><td><p>$804</p></td><td><p>$4,284,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>New Jersey</td><td><p>30,600</p></td><td><p>$803</p></td><td><p>$30,016,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>New Mexico</td><td><p>7,700</p></td><td><p>$715</p></td><td><p>$7,181,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>New York</td><td><p>57,600</p></td><td><p>$796</p></td><td><p>$56,310,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>North Carolina</td><td><p>29,700</p></td><td><p>$619</p></td><td><p>$24,469,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>North Dakota</td><td><p>2,600</p></td><td><p>$831</p></td><td><p>$2,682,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Ohio</td><td><p>37,300</p></td><td><p>$717</p></td><td><p>$33,321,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Oklahoma</td><td><p>18,500</p></td><td><p>$744</p></td><td><p>$17,411,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Oregon</td><td><p>15,700</p></td><td><p>$620</p></td><td><p>$12,820,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Pennsylvania</td><td><p>40,200</p></td><td><p>$796</p></td><td><p>$38,243,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Rhode Island</td><td><p>3,200</p></td><td><p>$777</p></td><td><p>$3,014,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>South Carolina</td><td><p>12,500</p></td><td><p>$633</p></td><td><p>$10,648,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>South Dakota</td><td><p>2,800</p></td><td><p>$785</p></td><td><p>$2,707,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Tennessee</td><td><p>19,700</p></td><td><p>$702</p></td><td><p>$17,318,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Texas</td><td><p>96,400</p></td><td><p>$771</p></td><td><p>$93,998,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Utah</td><td><p>7,400</p></td><td><p>$640</p></td><td><p>$6,316,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Vermont</td><td><p>2,000</p></td><td><p>$698</p></td><td><p>$1,689,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Virginia</td><td><p>29,000</p></td><td><p>$698</p></td><td><p>$26,297,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Washington</td><td><p>26,100</p></td><td><p>$764</p></td><td><p>$25,292,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>West Virginia</td><td><p>5,100</p></td><td><p>$800</p></td><td><p>$4,870,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Wisconsin</td><td><p>12,900</p></td><td><p>$647</p></td><td><p>$10,837,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Wyoming</td><td><p>2,700</p></td><td><p>$851</p></td><td><p>$2,908,000</p></td></tr><tr><td>Totals</td><td><p>1,037,600</p></td><td><p>$718</p></td><td><p>$950,349,00</p></td></tr></tbody></table>

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