State Suspends Program Delaying Tax Refunds [VIDEO]
New Jersey is suspending an ID theft program that has delayed tax refunds to 13,000 taxpayers.
Refunds will be paid starting next week.
Software initially flagged 22,000 tax refunds in February, requiring taxpayers to provide additional information such as W-2 forms and recent pay stubs. The state then said 9,000 filers should not have been included.
During the March edition of Ask the Governor, a caller brought up the delay in receiving his state income tax refund. Chris Christie explained that the state treasury had begun an aggressive anti-fraud program in preventing people from getting refunds who don't deserve them. “I’m not happy with what’s gone on at treasury in this regard, and I’ve made it very clear to the treasurer that I’m unhappy with it."
Treasury Department spokesman William Quinn tells the Asbury Park Press the current program needs further modification to better balance fraud prevention benefits with the burdens it imposes on taxpayers.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.