Nothing in this world is certain except death and taxes. But for 1,400 Washington Metro area residents, it’s also a certainty that if they contact the IRS, they can get back close to $1,000 in unclaimed tax refund money.

Nationwide, over $110 million in unclaimed refunds remain outstanding. That’s a big chuck of change, especially during the holidays. To see if you are one of the 1,400 people owed a total of $1.2 million in refunds from the IRS, I encourage you to visit my official website at www.moran.house.gov.

As a taxpaying citizen, don’t let Uncle Sam take anymore than what you already owe. Often times, these refunds don’t reach the appropriate person because the individual recently moved and the IRS has an incorrect address. By visiting IRS.gov and going to the “Where’s My Refund” link, you can quickly correct this problem and receive the refund you are owed.

Another service the IRS offers are Taxpayer Assistance Centers. For those who file their own taxes, you are fully aware how burdensome tax time can be. The Internal Revenue Code (I.R.C.) consists of over 1.4 million words and some 693 sections apply to individuals. In 2005, the IRS estimated that it took individual taxpayers from 3 hours and 46 minutes to prepare the simplest tax return to over 27 hours to complete a more complex tax return with schedules.

What you may not have known is that the IRS offers free tax preparation assistance to the public at Taxpayer Assistance Centers located throughout the U.S. In Northern Virginia, the closest center is located in Bailey's Crossroads at Skyline Drive.

Open five days a week, Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., the center offers walk-in, one on one, face to face meetings with taxpayers to help them navigate our nation’s cumbersome and confusing tax codes. For more info on the Baileys Crossroads Taxpayer Assistance Center, call (703) 756-6663 or visit their IRS.gov. If you need help with your taxes, I encourage you to consider this option next year when tax time rolls around.