Jersey Refunds Delayed For Months

Hi Everyone,

Like you, I have lost my fulltime job several years ago and have not worked in my profession since. I have managed to find low-paying parttime jobs that don't pay all the bills, but does at least generate income.

Needing every penny we're entitled to, we were supposed to get back over $500 refund from the state (we already got back our federal refund right on time). Like last year because of our situation, we applied for the Earned Income Tax Credit. Didn't have a problem with it the previous year. This year however, Jersey decided to manually review all returns claiming the EITC, delaying people's refunds several months.

You call them up, and like no-nothing drones, they have little to tell people except, "Your return is still in review. No ETA on when or if your claim will be accepted". The original delay was to be 90 days. Now they say they are behind schedule, and it will take even longer that that!

I am very frustrated and angry by this obvious attempt by the cash-strapped state to hang onto peoples money for as long as they can get away with it. And of course, the people like us who need the money most are the ones to suffer. I don't know where to turn or who to report this to. No one wants to take on the tax divisions for fear of possibly being audited. Perhaps that's why there is little on the internet about this apparent "criminal act".

Any suggestions would be welcome.

I think after that tax refund scandal, they're being overly cautious. Here's the article in case you didn't hear about it:

http://www.whptv.com/news/local/story/Woman-arrested-for-2-1-million-tax-refund-from/j6aB0e-nlU63EE6ISwlbcQ.cspx

If they'd just kept people on their payroll to begin with, nothing would have slipped through the cracks and they'd be able to keep up with the new volume. Governments cannot work like businesses all the time, people!

Hope it works out soon. My unemployment checks got delayed 3 months because of my former employer... He did not report my earnings to the state and most likely dodged them for weeks. Yep! Glad I got out of that operation!

I hear you jmain. We are in the same boat. There are many things happening in NJ right now that don't make much sense and seriously need to be looked into. The balanced budget, sure, easy when you are not making pension payments as required, the Billions to Revel Casino (which by the way isn't raking in the dough as promised and this "review". It's not just for earned income reportings either.

Hi Everyone,

As a followup, I'm happy to report that I FINALLY got my refund, in full. It was only 7 months late! Despite getting the refund, I am still furious with what they put me and thousands of other Jersyites through. God only knows how many elligable people either had their refunds reduced of denied altogether.

you should charge interest and late fees, etc.,etc., they would owe you about a zillion dollars..

jmainframe wrote:Hi Everyone,

As a followup, I'm happy to report that I FINALLY got my refund, in full. It was only 7 months late! Despite getting the refund, I am still furious with what they put me and thousands of other Jersyites through. God only knows how many elligable people either had their refunds reduced of denied altogether.

Sounds like a matter that some NJ unemployed friends might not be aware of or are too weary to pursue. Perhaps this should be shouted out to the members.

macky