IRS Warns Nonfilers to Claim 2022 Refunds Before April 15
The March 20 reminder gave nonfilers a reason to catch up: a 2022 income tax return could recover withheld taxes and claim refundable credits before the general April 15, 2026 deadline.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) warned March 20 that more than 1.3 million people had not claimed federal income tax refunds for tax year 2022. The agency estimated approximately $1.2 billion remained unclaimed and urged those taxpayers to submit their missing returns by April 15, 2026.
The estimated median refund was $686, meaning half of the potential refunds were larger and half smaller. That figure excluded credits that could increase the amount. It was an estimate across nonfilers, not a payment promised to everyone who submitted a return.
Not Owing Tax Does Not Mean There Is Nothing to Claim
A taxpayer can have an income tax refund waiting even when income was too low to require a return. Federal income tax withheld from wages may exceed the tax actually owed. Filing is how the taxpayer establishes that overpayment and asks for the money back.
Refundable credits can also matter. For 2022, the Earned Income Tax Credit was worth up to $6,935 for eligible workers with three or more qualifying children. Smaller maximum amounts applied to other qualifying households, including workers without qualifying children. Eligibility and the actual credit depend on the 2022 rules and the taxpayer's circumstances.
Preparing the return is therefore more useful than assuming that a low income means there is no reason to file. A completed return shows how much tax was withheld, which credits you qualify for, and the refund amount you could receive. If you are not required to file, knowing that amount can help you decide whether filing to claim it is worthwhile.
The Refund Window Has a Deadline
The Internal Revenue Service identified April 15, 2026 as the general deadline to file a 2022 return and claim a refund. This deadline concerns 2022 income, separate from the 2025 returns being prepared during the 2026 filing season.
The deadline can differ depending on the taxpayer's circumstances. Filing extensions, later tax payments, and qualifying disaster or combat-zone relief can affect the time available to claim a refund. Taxpayers with those circumstances should check which deadline applies to them.
Missing the applicable deadline can mean losing a refund of taxes withheld or paid, along with refundable credits the taxpayer otherwise could have claimed. Even someone who was not required to file could lose money by waiting too long.
Use 2022 Forms and Reconstruct Missing Records
Preparing an older return starts with the forms and rules for that tax year. Use the 2022 Form 1040 with the 2022 instructions, even if you prepare the return in a later year. The IRS keeps the 2022 Form 1040 and 2022 instructions available in its archive.
Missing paperwork does not necessarily prevent you from preparing an income tax return. There are several ways to recover the information:
- Ask employers for copies of missing Forms W-2. For contract work, ask the businesses that paid you for any missing Forms 1099-NEC.
- Check bank and brokerage accounts for tax statements reporting interest, dividends, and investment sales. Older statements may be available online or by request.
- Obtain a free IRS wage and income transcript through an individual online account or request one using Form 4506-T.
- Compare the transcript with your own records. It contains information reported to the IRS and may not include everything needed to complete the return.
A wage and income transcript can help reconstruct income even when no tax return was filed. It does not replace the return or identify every deduction and credit you can claim.
A missing tax statement does not always mean the amount is unknown. For example, bank statements may show the interest credited during the year even when you do not have a Form 1099-INT. Use those records to report the income accurately and keep copies and any calculation notes with your tax records.
Our Form 1040 instructions page provides recent editions and links to supporting schedules. For this refund reminder, use the 2022 return and instructions linked above.
References:
- Time Is Running Out to Claim $1.2 Billion in Refunds for Tax Year 2022; Taxpayers Face April 15 Deadline. IR-2026-37, March 20, 2026. Estimates and general deadline for unfiled 2022 refund returns. Internal Revenue Service. Retrieved September 22, 2026.
- Earned Income and Earned Income Tax Credit Tables. Tax year 2022 credit limits. Internal Revenue Service. Retrieved September 22, 2026.
- Time You Can Claim a Credit or Refund. Claim deadlines, payment limits, and exceptions. Internal Revenue Service. Retrieved September 22, 2026.
- Transcript Types for Individuals and Ways to Order Them. Wage and income transcripts, available records, and request methods. Internal Revenue Service. Retrieved September 22, 2026.
- Filing Past Due Tax Returns. Refund claims and assistance preparing overdue returns. Internal Revenue Service. Retrieved September 22, 2026.
- Topic No. 403, Interest Received. Reporting interest income even when Form 1099-INT is not received. Internal Revenue Service. Retrieved September 22, 2026.
- 26 U.S.C. Section 6511: Limitations on Credit or Refund. Statutory claim periods and limits on recoverable payments. Office of the Law Revision Counsel, U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved September 22, 2026.