If you’ve moved since you filed your last return, you probably arranged for your former post office branch to forward mail to your new address. However, not all postal branches forward government checks. As of November 2011, the IRS received $153 million in refund checks that couldn’t be delivered.

Notify the IRS of your address change to ensure you receive refunds or correspondence regarding your past and current returns. Complete IRS Form 8822: Address Change Request and mail your address change information to the IRS campus where you filed your last return.

You can also write a letter informing the IRS of an address change. Mail this letter to the IRS campus where you normally file your return. Include your:

• Full name
• Old and new addresses
• Social Security number (SSN)
• Signature

If you filed a joint return last year, and you and your spouse establish separate residences, you both should notify the IRS of your new addresses.