Nearly 1,000 more local tax payers to get their 2021 refunds today

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — More than $2 million worth of tax refund checks — for batches number 16 and 17 — are scheduled to be released today, Wednesday, by the ASG Treasury and it comes at a time when parents are budgeting for back-to-school purchase for their children when schools resume starting later next month into early September.

In a brief statement issued Monday afternoon, ASG Treasury announced that the 16th and 17th batches of tax refunds for a total of 999 taxpayers who filed on Mar. 29 to Apr. 12 would receive their tax refund checks on July 27.

According to Treasury, the tax refunds will be distributed through direct deposit, by mail and for those who don’t have a mailing address on their tax returns, they will be able pick up refunds at the Treasury Disbursing Office on the ground floor of the A.P. Lutali Executive Office Building (EOB).

Of the total tax refunds of more than $2.77 million released today, $809,734 is paid from locally collected funds and more than $1.96 million from the Additional Child Tax Credit, which is funded by the US Internal Revenue Service.

If you are expecting a tax refund and did not receive it, call the Tax Office for further information and assistance, but don’t visit the office.

The Treasury statement reminds those picking up their checks at the Disbursing Office that social distancing and wearing a face mask is strictly enforced at the EOB.

Even before the Treasury statement was released there were already people who were aware of the tax refund check run, through family members or friends who work at the EOB.

Some parents and legal guardians posting to social media that the money will be budgeted for purchase of “needed things” before the children return to the new school year 2022-2023.

Others on social media complained that ASG is taking forever to issue tax refunds.