The State - News from July 26, 1987

The Internal Revenue Service says it won’t send a $648 tax refund check to a Tulare woman because she’s dead. But Maria Garcia insists that reports of her death are premature. After filing 22 correction forms and placing dozens of phone calls since March, she has not received an explanation of why the IRS thinks she’s dead. “I’ve always heard the dead rest in peace, but I didn’t get any rest,” said Garcia. “I’ve paid the IRS for years and had no problem. This is the first year they owe me money and they say I’m dead.” A Fresno IRS representative said he can’t comment on the matter because of confidentiality rules, but acknowledged it’s being investigated.