You may be able to get a tax refund on airline tickets

[brenda1966]

I'm wondering if the Govt will reinstate the tax and retro date it. So that's why the are holding off on making refunds. They need to collect that money! Then anyone buying airfare now without paying the tax will get to pay it later if they want to board the flight.

 

[son3disfan]

I just spoke with Jetblue....

WE BOOKED 2 days before the tax was excempt.

They are not issuing refunds, even though I had her go on the IRS website and read back to me the part that was quoted above......stating the airlines CAN refund.......as they have all the info


She put me on hold several times and finally came to the conclusion that there is no form yet to fill out....on the IRS website, and that Jetblue wants you to email them your info and they will issue a receipt to you through email that you can issue to IRS WHEN THNGS ARE IN PLACE.....meaning a form to fill out....at some point.

WOW..what a run around. For 6 tickets it's about $250 for us.

I am Canadian, so don't know how the IRS will issue me a refund.
Jet blue should be doing it. They collected the money.

 

[jsilvers]

Jet blue should be doing it. They collected the money.

And they may still have to pass that money on to the IRS, if Congress restores the tax retroactively.

The U.S. government created this mess by letting the tax expire, and providing no useful guidance to the industry. Airlines can't be faulted for waiting for the situation to be sorted out before acting.

 

[son3disfan]

And they may still have to pass that money on to the IRS, if Congress restores the tax retroactively.

The U.S. government created this mess by letting the tax expire, and providing no useful guidance to the industry. Airlines can't be faulted for waiting for the situation to be sorted out before acting.

Somehow reimbursement doesn't carry the same urgency that collection does.
If this was something new , like an additional tax for the airlines to collect, everything would be in place. Rest assured. There would be no delay or uncertainty.

 

[Redarrow5150]

Why go through the trouble of trying to get money when you know they will reinstate or make it retroactive? I will be checking on this over the next few months but don't want to get a refund and find out I will just have to pay it again. I'm not seeing any forms to fill out on the IRS link and you know airlines aren't going to fork over the money they've collected until THEY HAVE to. I guess I see this issue needing more clarification from the IRS before I'm going out of my way expecting a refund.

 

[ccgirl]

Why go through the trouble of trying to get money when you know they will reinstate or make it retroactive? I will be checking on this over the next few months but don't want to get a refund and find out I will just have to pay it again. I'm not seeing any forms to fill out on the IRS link and you know airlines aren't going to fork over the money they've collected until THEY HAVE to. I guess I see this issue needing more clarification from the IRS before I'm going out of my way expecting a refund.

This is the stance I am taking. I am going to wait to see if they will reinstate the tax. If they don't, I will then file for a refund.

 

[bbwhos]

The airlines are not collecting the tax right now. I can't see them doing a retro reinstatement; it would be difficult at best for the airlines to re-collect. I would think the airlines have already paid through their quarterly taxes to the IRS for many who booked well in advance. Or they add another line to the 1040. Just like when they repealed the tax on cell phones and the IRS had to rush procedure in place to refund.

 

[ladypage]

This may be a stupid question but HOW exactly do we request a refund from the IRS?

 

[bbwhos]

This may be a stupid question but HOW exactly do we request a refund from the IRS?

The IRS may come up with a form to download and mail in with copies of proof of taxes paid or they may wait and have you claim it on your 1040. They don't seem to have that worked out yet. They state more info forthcoming. You can read about on IRS.gov website; they have a FAQ on this.

 

[Paula25]

They just told me they do not have not been given the authority to issue refunds but to keep checking back.

 

[mom2brooke76]

Just an FYI...........on another thread about this subject, someone had posted that Spirit has a link to the IRS form that passengers that will need to fill out and submit on their site. Here's the link:

http://spirit.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/935/kw/Tax refunds

 

[bbwhos]

Just an FYI...........on another thread about this subject, someone had posted that Spirit has a link to the IRS form that passengers that will need to fill out and submit on their site. Here's the link:

http://spirit.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/935/kw/Tax refunds

Thanks! Form looks like it should work. Wonder why the IRS doesn't just list this on their website?

 

[joxer1014]

Ok Great that is some progress. Now I just looked over it. Is there anyone that can decode this and tell us which schedule to fill out and where to file electronically without paying some craphole filing fee if we dont want to wait for snail mail. Also can we file this form by itself and get our money or do we have to wait until we do our taxes for 2011 at the beginning of next year?

Thanks very much.

 

[son3disfan]

Ok Great that is some progress. Now I just looked over it. Is there anyone that can decode this and tell us which schedule to fill out and where to file electronically without paying some craphole filing fee if we dont want to wait for snail mail. Also can we file this form by itself and get our money or do we have to wait until we do our taxes for 2011 at the beginning of next year?

Thanks very much.

Thanks for posting the form....
Does anyone want to guess at what Canadians are suppose to do with this?

Any help is very appreciated.

I have 6 fares....it would be over $200 in taxes refunded.

 

[stepdisney]

Somewhat OT but I just wanted to say that this whole issue stinks. My DH works for FAA and we are hoping that they sign the bill so that they can go back to work. We have an entire Disney Vacation coming up but we are in limbo because he is furloughed. They may have to refund more than taxes for us. :

 

[jsilvers]

Thanks! Form looks like it should work.

Don't be too sure. The instructions for Form 8849 indicate that it is usually intended for refunds to the middlemen that collect taxes (i.e., the airlines), not to the ultimate consumer. In the past, when a large-scale refund of excise taxes has been due to consumers, the IRS has established special procedures (for example, the special line on tax returns in 2006 for credits from the abolition of the tax on long-distance telephone calls).

Wonder why the IRS doesn't just list this on their website?

Because it may not be the correct form ... and because if Congress retroactively restores the tax, no refunds will be due. (But filing an incorrect form for a refund to which you may not be entitled is a great way to get audited.)

Incidentally, note that Spirit has posted the main form without any of the schedules that must be filed; on its own, that's useless.

 

[tlh0726]

Let me make sure I understand this correctly (I think I do, but just double checking ):

I have several flights coming up that were purchased prior to July 22. If I'm right, I must complete a flight before I can request the refund of the taxes. Right? If so, Southwest is going to be tired of hearing from me!

Correct, you cannot apply for or request the refund until you complete the flight.

 

[antree]

Correct, you cannot apply for or request the refund until you complete the flight.

I wish I saw this post before I emailed SW. My flight isn't until August 23rd and I just emailed them asking how to go about getting the refund. So I guess I'll see what they say. If I have to wait I'll request the refund again on Sept 3rd. after our flight home.

 

[bop28]

Just received a reply from Airtran, who told me to go to the IRS.Gov website and apply for a refund there. No mention of when to do it. I have a feeling that they didn't really know too much about it.

 

[jenseib]

Spirit has a link to the form

http://spirit.custhelp.com/ci/fattach/get/76799/1311883177/redirect/1

I have no clue how to fill out or what else to do with it?