By Bill Grubb

ROGERSVILLE — The Internal Revenue Service is looking for 35 Hawkins County residents, but in this case that is a good thing.
    The IRS has 7,815 checks worth about $5 million waiting for Tennesseans that were returned by the U.S. Postal Service due to mailing address errors including several with Hawkins County addresses, according to agency officials.
    “Just a simple address update will allow the IRS to get this money into the hands of its owners,” said IRS spokesman Dan Boone.
    According to Boone, all a taxpayer has to do is update his or her address once.
    The IRS will then send out all checks due.
    It is crucial that taxpayers who may be due a stimulus check update their addresses with the IRS by November 28, 2008, Boone said.  By law, economic stimulus checks must be sent out by December 31 of this year.
    The undeliverable economic stimulus checks average $583.
    “If they have moved away, we’re hoping someone local might know how to contact them and will let them know they have money waiting. If they still live in the area, this will serve as a reminder to them to contact IRS with a good address so they can collect their money,” Boone added.
    According to the IRS, six refund checks and 29 Economic Stimulus Payment checks worth $14,714 that should have been delivered to Hawkins County addresses were ultimately returned.
    Taxpayers can update their addresses with the “Where’s My Refund?” tool on IRS.gov Web site. It enables taxpayers to check the status of their refunds. A taxpayer must submit his or her social security number, filing status and amount of refund shown on their 2007 return. The tool will provide the status of their refund and in some cases provide instructions on how to resolve delivery problems.
    Taxpayers checking on a refund over the phone will be given instructions on how to update their addresses. Taxpayers can access a telephone version of “Where’s My Refund?” by calling 1-800-829-1954.
    The “Where’s My Stimulus Payment?” tool on this Web site is the quickest and easiest way for a taxpayer to check the status of a stimulus check and receive instructions on how to update his or her address.  Taxpayers without internet access should call 1-866-234-2942.
    Names provided by the IRS are:
    Sarah M. Allen, Rogersville;  Martin Beaty, Rogersville;  Robert Belknep, Rogersville;  Daniel W. Brooks, Rogersville; Amanda L. Buttry, Rogersville;  Michael S. Caldwell, Church Hill;  Trinity R. Caldwell, Church Hill;  Joey S. Eidson, Rogersville;  Helen D. Fisher, Mooresburg;  Margaret A. Gray, Mount Carmel;  Nicole M. Halligan, Rogersville;  Thomas R. Harris, Rogersville;  Chase W. Helton, Mooresburg;  Darren Q. Hensley, Church Hill;  John D. Hensley, Rogersville;  Eulah V. Hurd, Rogersville;  Darrin C. Jones, Mooresburg;  Sarah Lafleur, Rogersville;  Charles C. Manis, Surgoinsville;  Krista L. Marshall, Rogersville;  Mary J. Martin, Mount Carmel;  Ashley M. McClung, Rogersville;  Michael A. McKelvey, Bulls Gap;  Monica Miller, Mount Carmel;  Eugene S. Mitchell, Church Hill;  Johnny R. Morgan, Rogersville;  Nathan Noe, Mount Carmel;  Christina Oppie, Rogersville;  Brandon S. Ramey, Church Hill;  Cheryl Ray, Rogersville;  Bobby A. Smith, Bulls Gap;  Nellie Smith, Surgoinsville;  Earl M. Taylor, Church Hill;  E. and M. Ballesteros Martinez Trejo, Church Hill and Fred Williams, Church Hill.
    The majority of checks mailed out reach their rightful owner.  Only a very small percent are returned as undeliverable, according to IRS officials.