IRSTaxSettlement

Despite doubts among many U.S. lawmakers that it will create many jobs, the House on Thursday passed legislation giving companies that hire the jobless a temporary payroll tax break.

The measure passed 217-201 on a mostly party-line vote. The bill also extends federal highway programs through the end of the year.

The IRS announced yesterday (IR-2010-24) that 1.4 million people have more than $1.3 billion in unclaimed tax refunds for the 2006 tax year sitting in the IRS's coffers. The median unclaimed refund is $604. The deadline for requesting a refund is April 15, 2010. Here is the state-by-state breakdown of the unclaimed refunds:

A Rio Vista woman was sentenced Tuesday in connection with defrauding the Internal Revenue Service.

U.S. District Judge Lawrence K. Karlton sentenced Virginia Ferrari, 52, to six months in prison followed by six months of home confinement while serving one year of supervised release, restitution to the IRS of $913,574.91, and a fine of $25,000 for subscribing to a false tax document. She pleaded guilty on Nov. 25, 2008.