You might be one among the 279,000 people that the Internal Revenue Service is trying to trace and reach.

That's not a reason to worry about – well, certainly not for the wrong reasons – the IRS is actually finding it difficult to locate and identify the addresses of all those people so that their TAX REFUND and STIMULUS checks can be handed over!

When was the last time you updated your address with the IRS? If you have not done it in the recent past, particularly after filing in your 2007 tax returns, then probably you are in for a pleasant surprise.

There could a check or two on your name, sitting with the IRS, just waiting for you to claim.

So what's this stimulus check, you ask? It is an economic stimulus payment that you would receive from the IRS – don't worry, it is not taxable, and will not reduce your tax refund. Also, it will not increase your taxes when you file your returns next year –sounds good, eh?

But first let's see whether you are eligible – if you have filed your 2007 returns, then probably you are - the majority of people who file a 2007 income tax return qualify, and many who don't regularly file a tax return may qualify as well. You're eligible if you have a valid Social Security number (SSN), can't be claimed as a dependent on a tax return and have either an income tax liability or "qualifying income" of at least $3,000.

Taxpayers with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) instead of an SSN are not eligible to receive a stimulus payment.

If you have not filed your returns for 2007, then you still might be eligible for next year, so make sure you send in your returns next year at least.

What could be the amount you receive?

Well, the information on your tax return will decide that, but you might receive anything between $300 and $600.

If you file a joint return with your spouse, or have one or more qualifying children, that amount would go up by another $300 to $600.

In case your income is high, then you might receive a reduced payment or – sorry, no payment at all!

If you have already filed in your 2007 returns and have not yet received the economic stimulus check, then it could that the IRS has dispatched the check to you but it got returned due to change of address. You can now go here "Where's My Stimulus Payment?" and update your address.

Ensure that you update your mailing address at this link before the 28th of November this year – that's the deadline the IRS has announced, as they have their own deadline of handing over all the checks before the 31st December.

You can download my report "Done with Cash" for free, when you apply for it.

The Blog can be found at www.Done-With-IRS.com