You Could Miss Out on $686 or More as the Deadline To File for Unclaimed 2022 Tax Refunds Nears
Written by
Vance Cariaga
Edited by
Zuri Anderson
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The clock is ticking on more than 1.3 million U.S. taxpayers who have unclaimed refunds for tax year 2022. If you’re one of those taxpayers, you have until the April 15 filing deadline to claim your refund.
Failing to claim the tax refund means you could miss out on nearly $700. Here’s what you need to know.
More Than $1 Billion Unclaimed
Under federal tax laws, taxpayers usually have three years to file and claim their tax refunds, according the IRS. Any money that goes unclaimed after three years becomes the property of the U.S. Treasury.
As of late March 2026, roughly $1.2 billion in refunds remained unclaimed for taxpayers who had not filed their Form 1040 federal income tax return for the 2022 tax year. Nationally, the 2022 median refund amount is $686, not including credits that might apply.
Depending on where you live, the refund could be much higher or lower. Among the states, median estimates range from a low of $627 in Arizona to a high of $786 in Massachusetts.
As the IRS noted, taxpayers who don’t file a return can lose more than just refunds of taxes withheld or paid during 2022. Many low- and moderate-income workers might also be eligible for the earned income tax credit in 2022, which was worth up to $6,935 for taxpayers with qualifying children.
How To Claim It
The first thing you should do is ensure that you filed tax returns for 2023 and 2024. Otherwise, you might not be eligible for the 2022 refund.
Another thing to keep in mind is that any refund for 2022 will be applied to amounts still owed to the IRS or a state tax agency. It also could be used to offset unpaid child support or other past due federal debts, such as student loan debts.
To claim your refund, you can get instructions and tax forms — including the tax year 2022 Forms 1040 and 1040-SR — on the IRS.gov Forms & Instructions page or by calling toll-free 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).
If you’re missing Forms W-2, 1098, 1099 or 5498 for tax years 2022, 2023 or 2024, you can request copies from your employer, bank or other payers. If those options are not available, you can order a free wage and income transcript at IRS.gov using the Get Transcript Online tool.
For more information, visit this IRS site.
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