Some Kansans waiting on state tax refund checks despite filing electronically

Several Kansans say they have not received their tax refunds from the Kansas Department of Revenue despite filing electronically several weeks ago.

The Eagle reported earlier this week that the department still had yet to open thousands of paper returns. The department blamed this on an unexpected surge of paper returns and said it had authorized employees to work overtime with the intent of processing the bulk of the returns by the end of this week.

However, several readers e-mailed to say they had filed their returns electronically and were still waiting for them to be processed.

Kimberly Moore, who lives in Wichita, said in an e-mail that she had filed her return electronically on March 6 but that it “is still being ‘processed.’ ”

“I have called the Kansas Department of Revenue only to get a recording stating the same thing that is on the web site – my return is being ‘processed.’ ... My refund is not huge, it is $675.00 but it is MINE and I would like it this year,” said Moore, a respiratory therapist who is on medical disability because she has multiple sclerosis and a form of arthritis that affects the spine. “I don’t know how to speak with a human being up there.”

Sheryl Batt, a Wichita resident who works in aviation, has had a similar experience. “I got my federal money in a week but state still hasn’t come,” Batt said in an e-mail.

Secretary of Revenue Nick Jordan said most electronic returns are processed within a few days. However, some returns require additional time if information is missing or the department needs to verify something, he said.

“Electronically, there shouldn’t be any delay unless there’s something on the return we need to double check,” Jordan said when approached at the Capitol on Wednesday.

Jeannine Koranda, a spokeswoman for the department, said electronic returns typically are processed in seven to 10 days but can be delayed for several reasons, including having missing paperwork or being held for a manual review.

She said people who receive a letter from the department about their returns should call the phone number listed in the letter. The general customer line is 785-368-8222.

Batt filed jointly with her husband, who is a teacher, and thinks her taxes were “red flagged” for some reason.

“I got a letter wanting copies of my W-2’s. I went regular deductions, so nothing is wrong with my return. Just because I am getting $1,200 back, they are keeping my money? Something’s wrong,” she said.

Batt said that when she goes to the Department of Revenue’s website and puts in her information, she gets the following message: “A return requesting a refund has been received and is currently being processed by the Department of Revenue. If you filed a paper K-40 income tax return, your refund will take a minimum of 16 weeks for processing. Thank you.”

“So I guess I wait 16 weeks. … That’s not right,” Batt said.

This story was originally published May 6, 2015 at 3:12 PM with the headline "Some Kansans waiting on state tax refund checks despite filing electronically."