Unlocking Hidden Tax Refunds: What Werner Enterprises Employees Need to Know About Unclaimed Benefits

Healthcare Provider Update: Healthcare Provider for Werner Enterprises Werner Enterprises primarily partners with UnitedHealthcare as its healthcare provider. This collaboration allows the company to offer a range of health insurance options to its employees, ensuring access to comprehensive healthcare services. Potential Healthcare Cost Increases in 2026 As healthcare costs continue to rise, employees at Werner Enterprises can expect to face significant increases in their healthcare expenses by 2026. Amid pressures like soaring medical costs and the potential expiration of federal premium subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), many employers are likely to shift more financial responsibilities onto their workforce. Reports suggest that healthcare costs for businesses are projected to increase by approximately 8.5%, prompting employers to reconsider benefit designs and raise deductibles. Consequently, Werner Enterprises employees may need to navigate higher out-of-pocket expenses while planning for the year ahead. Click here to learn more

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently revealed that a staggering amount over $1 billion  in tax refunds from the 2020 tax year remains unclaimed. This considerable sum represents excess payments that Werner Enterprises employees, among others, have not yet reclaimed for various reasons, including incomplete filing forms and the intricacies of tax regulations.

Moreover, an additional $7 billion in unclaimed funds are overlooked annually due to missed claims on earned-income tax credits, child tax credits, and recovery rebate credits for both the 2020 and 2021 tax years. This highlights a pervasive issue within the tax system where employees at major corporations like Werner Enterprises could miss out on substantial financial returns simply because they are unaware of or do not fully understand applicable tax laws and benefits.

For Werner Enterprises employees, it’s critical to recognize that time is still on your side if you've forgotten to claim rightful credits or deductions. The IRS allows refund claims up to three years post the original filing deadline, typically April 15. Due to pandemic-related delays, the filing deadline for the 2020 tax year has been extended to May 17, providing an extra window to correct your filings and claim your dues before they revert permanently to the U.S. Treasury after the deadline.

At the state level, unclaimed funds are even more common. For instance, Nebraska has seen around $420 million in unclaimed property tax deductions since 2020. Similarly, in New Mexico, more than 16,000 residents failed to claim approximately $6 million in rebate credits anticipated for 2022.

A significant portion of these unclaimed refunds can be attributed to taxpayers who either did not file a return or failed to update their mailing addresses with the IRS, resulting in refunds that were never delivered. In 2020, the median amount of these unclaimed refunds was $932 per taxpayer.

The complexity of the tax code often deters taxpayers from pursuing their entitlements, including lesser-known deductions such as those for home offices and specific benefits for owners of pass-through entities. Ryan LoRusso, a partner at Withers, mentions that even tax experts frequently overlook benefits due to the code's complexities.

Most states align with the federal deadline of May 17 to file claims for the 2020 tax year.  According to Lucy Dadayan from the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, most states offer a three-year window to file for unclaimed refunds, mirroring the IRS.  However, filing an amended return can be both challenging and costly, as Jamie Yesnowitz, a tax principal at Grant Thornton, emphasizes. The financial and administrative burdens of filing amended returns might deter individuals, especially when the potential savings do not justify the fees.

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Strategic estate planning is crucial in this environment. Consider a person with substantial assets, such as a $3 million brokerage account and a $3 million tax-deferred retirement account, planning to distribute wealth to family and charities. Understanding the tax implications and available credits or deductions can significantly affect the financial outcome of such legacies.

In summary, the complexities of tax laws mean many potential refunds and credits go unclaimed. Werner Enterprises employees need to be proactive and informed about their tax filings to optimize potential refunds and credits, enhancing their personal financial management and engaging more deeply with the broader financial and economic landscape.

Werner Enterprises employees, particularly those nearing or in retirement, should also be vigilant about tax scams. During tax season, retirees are often targeted by fraudulent schemes, including fake IRS calls demanding immediate payment. The IRS warns that these calls are scams, exploiting fears about law enforcement and compliance. A report by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration in February 2021 indicated that over $10 million was lost to such scams in the previous year, highlighting the need for increased vigilance.