Refund Anticipation LOANS(RAL)

REFUND ANTICIPATION LOANS ADVERTISED AS "FAST" OR "INSTANT" REFUNDS COST TAXPAYERS_____

$738 MILLION IN 2008

Before signing up for a "fast" or "instant" refund, remember to ASK about the:

- Annual percentage rate of the loan -Schedule of all charges and fees -Maturity date of the loan; and - Charge for electronic filing

By filing your taxes online you can receive your refund in as few as _____

10 days

you can monitor your refund status beginning just _______after the IRS acknowledges receipt of your e-filed return, __________ after mailing a paper return.

72 hours, 3 to 4 weeks

If you want a faster tax refund you should....

Consider filing your tax return with the IRS by computer. Your refund can be directly deposited into your bank account by the IRS, eliminating the need to mail a refund check to you.

If a taxpayer is due a refund, the waiting time for e-filers is_____ that of paper filers.

Half

The "fast" or "instant" refund is NOT the refund issued to you by the _____.

Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

A RAL is a _____.

It is a loan carrying fees and high-interest rates that you pay for.

According to the IRS, your wait time will be cut from______________ (or less) if you file electronically.

Six to three

Your refund will be_________ because the person providing the loan will take out fees

Smaller

The loan is secured by

your IRS refund.