Refund Offsets to other Agencies

Treasury Refund Offset

Under federal law, the Georgia Department of Revenue can take your federal income tax refunds to reduce or pay income tax debt you owe to the state of Georgia. To take your federal income tax refund, the Department files an offset claim with the United States Department of the Treasury.

How this process works:

• We send a letter to your last known address notifying you of our intent to file an offset claim.
• After 60 days, we file a claim with the Treasury Department.
• The Treasury Department notifies you when they send us all or part of your federal refund.

This can take up to several weeks. Please note that the Department will not take federal payments if you are in bankruptcy.  Also, the Department cannot take your Social Security income to offset your state income tax debt.

Read the Treasury Offset Refund FAQs for more information.

State Refund Offset

Georgia law allows other agencies to use individual income tax refunds to pay outstanding obligations.

Your state refund may be offset (applied) to a liability (debt) with the IRS, another state agency, or the Department of Revenue.

You will receive a letter to your last known address notifying you if your refund offsets to another agency. If you have questions or need more information about the offset, you should contact the appropriate agency.

• Georgia Administrative Office of the Courts
• Georgia Department of Community Supervision
• Georgia Department of Human Services
• Georgia Department of Labor
• Georgia Lottery Corporation
• Georgia Student Finance Commission
• Internal Revenue Service

If you are uncertain which agency offset your refund, contact the Department of Revenue at 877-423-6711.