I-Team: Ohio tax refunds held back, here’s why
OHIO (WJW) — The Fox 8 I-Team has found that many people are getting a surprise in the mail instead of a state tax refund.
Many Ohio taxpayers have received a letter that says the state will not be sending a refund. So, taxpayers turned to the I-Team to ask, “Where’s my money?”
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In Cleveland, Phil Nash and his wife got a letter that said their 2023 Ohio income tax refund was being withheld. The letter said they’d be getting $0.00.
The I-Team also heard from two other people who received that same letter. They spent endless time on the phone and online trying to figure out why.
They finally found out the state believed they’d received unemployment money they didn’t deserve. So, their tax refunds would go toward paying it back.
“We had heard nothing about it at all. We had no notifications. No letters. No communications. At this point, I see no justification that this is, in any way, a valid debt that they’re trying to collect,” Nash said.
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The I-Team had to send a long series of e-mails to three state agencies to get to the bottom of this. The I-Team then received some answers from the Department of Job and Family Services. Even then, the explanation turned out to be a little muddy.
In short, the Department of Job and Family Services has determined this all revolves around identity theft. At least 1800 victims of identity theft may have had their state tax refunds withheld. Those refunds are worth a total of more than $850,000.
The Department of Job and Family Services found 53,000 claims with “identity theft indicators.” A spokesperson said the state has taken a closer look at this.
Now, tax refunds held back in cases like these should be getting mailed out.
“When you see something that’s supposed to be coming, and you expect to be coming, and then, all of a sudden, the State says, ‘Nope’, for a fantasy debt that we can’t figure out, that’s the frustrating part,” Nash said.
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The Department of Job and Family Services also wrote, “If someone feels their taxes were withheld improperly, they can always call (877) 644-6562.”
If you think you were a victim of identity theft, report it here.
Anyone who was a PUA recipient and believes they should not owe a debt from a prior unemployment payment can appeal and provide the required documentation through the online portal by clicking here.
The circumstances and appeal outcomes for each claim are unique, but each claimant has the right of appeal, first through ODJFS and next to the Ohio Unemployment Compensation Review Commission.
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