The IRS has $1.2 billion that belongs to taxpayers for 2004 tax returns. They estimate that about 1.3 million people did not file returns for 2004, and their refunds are just sitting there collecting dust. They say the average taxpayer is due a refund of $552, but they won't send it to you unless you ask for it.

If you're going to file for your refund, you better get moving! You only have until April 15 to do it. If you file a 2004 tax return after that date, you won't get your money. The IRS only has to give you a refund for three years after the original due date of the tax return. After that, you're out of luck.

And don't worry, if you were due a refund for 2004, you won't even get a penalty for filing that return late. So get on the move and get your 2004 tax return in so you don't lose the money that belongs to you.

Tracy L. Coenen, CPA, MBA, CFE performs fraud examinations and financial investigations for her company Sequence Inc. Forensic Accounting, and is the author of Essentials of Corporate Fraud.

No, this isn't one of those dumb headlines that's a lie and just meant to get you to read. It's actually true. Every year you wait for that nice fat tax refund from the government, right? Well why wait, when you can have that money in your hand now? Start filling your piggy bank right away instead of waiting until April.

If you're getting a big refund each year, you're having too much money withheld from your paycheck. So the government is taking extra money from you every two weeks, using it for whatever it wants, and giving it back to you in April without paying you any interest. How much sense does that make? Why are you letting the government use your money for free all year?

You need to reduce your withholding, and that's easy. All you have to do is go to your payroll department and ask to fill out a new W-4. You should also ask how many "withholding allowances" you're currently claiming. (This is easy for them to find out and they shouldn't have any objection to telling you.)

You've filed your tax return and now you're anxiously awaiting your refund. If you want to check on the status, you can do so at the IRS website. You'll need to have certain information in hand to be able to check it, including: your Social Security Number, your filing status (single, married filing joint, married filing separate, head of household, or qualifying widow), and the exact amount of the refund that was on your tax return.

If you need help finding any of this information on your return, you can access this help screen.

Remember: The fastest way to get your refund is to file electronically and request direct deposit of your refund into your bank account. You can usually get your refund in under 2 weeks this way. And if you qualify, you might even be able to file your taxes online for free.

Tracy L. Coenen, CPA, MBA, CFE performs fraud examinations and financial investigations for her company Sequence Inc. Forensic Accounting, and is the author of Essentials of Corporate Fraud.

Turn on a television during tax time, and you will see plenty of commercials for tax preparation chains offering to help you get your money fast. What they often don't say is that they intend to get you that money by way of a Refund Anticipation Loan (RAL). Essentially, they prepare your tax return and see how much your refund is going to be. They will give you a loan against that refund so that you can walk out with your money today.

But here's the catch: There are fees associated with those loans, and they're not cheap. Taxpayers will pay, on average, about $100 to get one of these loans. That might not sound like much, but when you figure that they are paying this $100 just to get a ten day loan, it's astronomical.

Ten day loan? That's right... if a taxpayer files electronically and does direct deposit of their refund, it will usually take ten days or less to get their refund. These tax preparation chains are counting on you wanting your money right away, and that's why they push these loans. But you can get your money pretty fast for free. So why not save yourself the money and just do the regular electronic filing and direct deposit!

Tracy L. Coenen, CPA, MBA, CFE performs fraud examinations and financial investigations for her company Sequence Inc. Forensic Accounting, and is the author of Essentials of Corporate Fraud.

Chain tax preparation services all boast about helping you to get your tax refund fast. Well here's a newsflash.... there's nothing special about what they're doing, and you can get a fast refund all by yourself!

The IRS offers direct deposit of your refund if you provide your checking or savings account information when filing your taxes. If you file paper forms, it will likely take three to six weeks to get your refund. If you file electronically, you can have your refund in two weeks or less. And there are plenty of online services like TurboTax to help you fill out your tax forms and file electronically.

Direct deposit through the IRS is free and it is safe. You don't risk having a check lost in the mail. So opt for direct deposit with the IRS and skip all the tax preparation services that brag about fast (but expensive) refunds.

Tracy L. Coenen, CPA, MBA, CFE performs fraud examinations and financial investigations for her company Sequence Inc. Forensic Accounting, and is the author of Essentials of Corporate Fraud.

If you're one of the millions affected by the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) temporary fix approved by the House of Representatives last week, you may have to wait to get your refund.

The fix is good for taxpayers, but bad for the Internal Revenue Service. Any form affected by the change won't be ready until February. So for the 3 or 4 million people who usually file in January, they may not get their refunds so early.