Refund Recheck | The IRS may still owe you money | Jackson Hewitt
Your money matters

The IRS may still
owe you money.
Let's find out.

Refund Recheck reviews your prior tax returns for unclaimed refunds and missed credits. If we find something, a Jackson Hewitt Tax Pro files the amendment and walks you through it. Tax Pros find an average of $1,600 in missed refund money.

Find a location → See how it works

Free recheck · 3-year refund window · Backed by Jackson Hewitt

Money found.

Missed credits caught.

The Earned Income Credit. The Child Tax Credit. Education credits. Years you didn't know you could file. We look. You decide.

Three years.

Then it's gone.

The IRS gives you 3 years from the original due date to claim a refund. After that, the money goes back. We help you act before the window closes.

Done for you.

Start to finish.

If we find a refund, we file the amendment. Handle the IRS correspondence. Stay with you through processing. You wait for the money.

How it works

From first review to refund recovered. One path, four steps.

This is recovery work. Done for you. Here's what actually happens.

1
When you file

You give permission

You file your current taxes with us. While we're at it, you grant your Tax Pro permission to look at your prior returns. That's it on your end.

2
Behind the scenes

Your Tax Pro reviews

Your past returns are checked for missed credits and deductions. Common ones: Earned Income Credit, Child Tax Credit, education credits. Unfiled years too.

3
If we find something

We tell you what's there

Your Tax Pro calls or asks you in person. They explain what was missed, what it's worth, and what filing the amendment looks like. You decide whether to proceed.

4
If you say yes

We file. You wait.

We prepare the amended return, submit it to the IRS, and handle any correspondence that comes back. Amendments typically process in 8–12 weeks.

Sample · What a finding looks like

Refund Recheck Findings · Tax Year 2022

Generated by your Tax Pro after reviewing your prior return. Tells you exactly what was missed, what it's worth, and what's needed to file.

Refund recoverable
$1,847
What was missed
Earned Income Credit$1,632
Adjustment for additional dependent$215
Federal refund increase$1,847
Filing window
Original due dateApr 18, 2023
Claim deadlineApr 15, 2026
Days remaining—
Form to file1040-X
Ready to file
  • ✓Eligibility verified
  • ✓Documents on file
  • ✓Tax Pro assigned
  • !Awaiting your sign-off
Sample shown. The actual finding will be built from your prior-year return and reviewed by your local Tax Pro before any filing is done.
✓
Sample · Refund approved
Your $1,847 refund is on its way.
IRS processed your amendment on Mar 12, 2026. Direct deposit to your account on file. Your Tax Pro is notified and will follow up if anything else is needed.
Refund Rechecked. As Promised.

Real value delivered to our clients.

31,500
Opportunities identified
across first-year and retained clients
$1,600
Average additional refund
per client with a finding
$4.5M
Total recovered
delivered back to clients
In their own words
"I had no idea I had this money. It helped me stay in my house and not get evicted. I'm grateful someone took a look."
Client in New York · $10k recovered
"Is this real? I can't believe I had all this money that I would have lost."
Client in Florida · $29k recovered
"Such a perfect timing. We had hospital bills and had to pay for the care my wife needed."
Client in Illinois · $2,731 recovered
Data through the 2025 tax season. Quotes shared with permission; identifying details limited to state of residence.
What you can expect
Free review
No surprises
Real Tax Pro
Backed by JH guarantees
Who it's for

Most people don't know they have money to recover.

If you've filed taxes in the last three years, your prior returns can be reviewed. Here are the most common ways people end up with a recovery.

①

The Returning Client

"I've filed with Jackson Hewitt before."

Who they arePeople with a recent JH filing on file. Returns from the last three years are sitting in our system. Reviewing them is fast.
What they're missingCredits they qualified for but didn't claim. Life changes that retroactively shift eligibility: a new dependent, school, a different job.
What we handleThe review, the math, the call. If something's there, we file the amendment. You decide whether to proceed.
Strongest match → Highest recovery rate
②

Got a Call From Us

"Jackson Hewitt called about a refund."

Who they arePeople we've already reviewed. The call means we found something specific. Real recovery, not a sales pitch.
What to expectYour Tax Pro tells you what we found and what it's worth. No pressure. Verify the call by phoning your local office directly if you want.
What we handleEverything from here. The amendment, the IRS, the follow-up. Your only job is the conversation.
Already reviewed → Ready to file
③

The Self-Filer

"I've done my own taxes online."

Who they arePeople who filed themselves with TurboTax, H&R Block Online, or another tool. Software is fast but misses complex credits.
What they're missingEarned Income Credit eligibility. Child Tax Credit eligibility. Anything where the rules are nuanced. Software treats the question as binary; reality isn't.
What we handleA real second look from a real Tax Pro. Free when you bring your past returns. We tell you if something's there.
DIY filer → Hidden gaps possible
Open to: Anyone who's filed a federal tax return in the last three years. With us, with another preparer, or on their own.
How we're different

Better than guessing.
Cheaper than wondering.

Most people never know if they left money on the table. Refund Recheck is the answer to a question you didn't know to ask. Free to find out.

The question
Refund Recheck
Doing it yourself
Who looks for missed credits?
A Tax Pro reviews your prior returns.
You'd have to know what to look for.
What does the review cost?
Free. Find out before you commit to anything.
Hours of your time. No guarantee you'd find it.
Who files the amendment?
Your Tax Pro. We handle Form 1040-X end to end.
You'd file 1040-X manually. Mail or paper.
Who handles IRS correspondence?
We do. If a notice arrives, your Tax Pro responds.
You're on your own with IRS letters.
What happens if we miss something?
Lifetime Accuracy Guarantee covers our work.
No safety net.
Why Jackson Hewitt

The infrastructure behind every recovery.

Refund Recheck is built on 40 years of tax expertise, a nationwide network, and an average of $1,600 found per client.

$1,600

Average found

Tax Pros find an average of $1,600 in missed refund money for clients. Some find more. Some find nothing. We tell you that too.

5,000+

Locations nearby

Open evenings and weekends. Walk in, schedule online, or call. Offered at participating locations.

40+ years

Of tax expertise

Refund Recheck is done by the same Tax Pros who've filed 65 million+ returns. Your money matters. We've been at this a while.

Backed

By our guarantees

Biggest Refund Guarantee. Lifetime Accuracy Guarantee. If we made an error, we make it right.

For Tax Pros

What Refund Recheck actually is, from the inside.

This section is for the people who do the work. Refund Recheck isn't lead-gen. It's recovery on people we already know. The operator portal handles everything upstream so you can focus on the return.

Why it matters for your book

  • Your existing clients are the warmest leads. They already trust Jackson Hewitt.
  • A prior-year amendment is found money for the client. A return visit for you.
  • Recoveries deepen the relationship. Refund Recheck is often the reason they come back.
  • You stay in the loop on recoveries tied to your office. No extra outreach required.

How it shows up in your work

  • ProFiler flags qualifying clients during the tax interview. You give consent on their behalf.
  • The operator portal handles outreach, scheduling, and booking.
  • The client comes back to your office to file the amendment. You handle the return. That's it.
  • Status, health, and recovery history live in the portal. Operators keep the pipeline moving.

Why it's not a generic referral

  • Not lead-gen for new clients. Recovery on people we already have a relationship with.
  • Compliance handled centrally. HQ owns IRS forms, amendment filing, and correspondence.
  • Your role is the return itself. Everything around it is automated.
  • Recoveries are tracked back to your office. The client's history with you stays intact.

What changes when it's running

  • Your client list is reviewed automatically for prior-year refund opportunities.
  • Operators reach out, book, and prep. You walk into the appointment with context.
  • Expiration windows are tracked centrally. You don't have to remember which years close when.
  • Field insights from operators surface in the briefing. What works gets shared.
Common questions

Before you walk in.

Is the recheck really free?

Yes. Reviewing your prior returns is free when you file with Jackson Hewitt. If we find a missed refund and you decide to file an amendment, standard tax-prep fees apply for the amendment itself. Your Tax Pro walks you through the pricing before any work begins.

What years can still be filed?

The IRS allows refund claims up to three years from the original due date. We typically review the past three years. The deadline to claim a 2023 refund is April 15, 2027.

How is this different from a regular amendment?

A regular amendment is something you file when you already know what's wrong. Refund Recheck is the reverse: we proactively look for what you might not know is missing. The amendment form (1040-X) is the same. The discovery is what's done for you.

How do I know it's actually Jackson Hewitt calling?

If you get a call about a Refund Recheck and want to verify, look up your nearest Jackson Hewitt office on jacksonhewitt.com and call them directly. Real outreach references your prior-year filing details, not just generic claims of "money owed."

What if I don't remember anything from past years?

That's fine. We don't expect you to. Your Tax Pro pulls the relevant return information, walks you through what we found, and tells you what's needed to complete the amendment. Most clients start with very little memory of past returns and finish with money back.

How long does it take to get the refund?

Once filed, IRS amendment processing typically takes 8–12 weeks. Filing a previously unfiled return for a closed year may take longer. Your Tax Pro tracks status and updates you as it moves.

Why didn't this come up the first time I filed?

A few common reasons: complex credits like Earned Income Credit and the Child Tax Credit have eligibility rules that DIY software can miss. Life changes can sometimes qualify you retroactively: a new dependent, school, an income shift. Tax laws change year to year. A Tax Pro looking at your full picture catches what a single-year review wouldn't.

Can I do this myself?

You can file an amendment yourself with IRS Form 1040-X. The harder part is identifying what was missed. That's what the recheck is for. The recheck is free. You can always file the amendment yourself afterward if you'd rather.

If I got an IRS letter, can this help?

If you've received an IRS notice, bring it. Your Tax Pro can review it alongside your past returns. Sometimes the notice triggers the recheck conversation. Sometimes it's a separate question (audit, balance due, penalty) that needs handling first.

What documents do I need to bring?

A government-issued ID, your Social Security number, and copies of any past returns you have. If you've filed with us before, your Tax Pro can pull most of it from your existing profile. If you filed elsewhere, bring those returns too. We can review them.

Money you didn't know about.
Free to find out.

Walk into a Jackson Hewitt office. Bring what you have. We'll review your past returns at no cost. If there's something there, we'll tell you. If there isn't, we'll tell you that too.

Back to VDF →