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How many years back can I get a tax refund?

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If you’ve unknowingly paid too much money to the state or federal government than you needed to, you’ll be owed a tax refund.

With the average amount of tax return thought to have been around $3,000 in 2019, it’s well worth filing.

Never claimed before? No worries. We’re here to help you understand tax returns and how many years back you can claim for.

How many years back can I claim?

You have three years from the original tax return deadline to claim any refund for overpayment.

Each tax year runs from January 1 to December 31. You’ll need to make your claim within this time as it won’t be automatically refunded. You should get your refund within 21 days of sending off your claim, according to the IRS.

You should try to file for your tax refund as early in the year as possible as this lowers the chances of fraud.

Make sure to keep any government documents such as college information close to hand, as well as receipts. This will help make sure you’re getting the right amount back.

Loading your tax return onto a prepaid card

Looking for a safer way of managing your tax refund? A reloadable prepaid card might just be for you. You’ll find them at your local Kroger Family of Stores. Choose to receive your refund directly to your prepaid card online or cash your check directly while you’re at one of our stores.

What are the benefits?

Not only is loading your tax refund onto a prepaid card straightforward, but there are other benefits too.

  1. It’s safer than carrying around cash or a check, which puts you at risk of theft. You can quickly cancel a prepaid card, so your funds are protected if you lose it.
  2. It's easier to keep track of your budget when using a prepaid card online over cash.
  3. You’ll avoid checking fees when choosing to get your refund via direct deposit.

So what have you got to lose?

For more information on our prepaid cards, check out our FAQ section.

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