P.M. BRIEFING : 53,000 Tax Refunds Delayed

A human error has delayed tax refunds for 53,000 taxpayers who took advantage of the Internal Revenue Service’s much-publicized electronic filing system, the IRS said today.

Electronic filers affected by the foul-up who elected to have refunds deposited directly into their bank accounts should receive those refunds by March 12, rather than by Feb. 26, said IRS spokesman Frank Keith. Those choosing to take paper checks should have them in hand by March 16, rather than by March 2.

“Obviously this is an inconvenience to taxpayers, and we regret that,” Keith said. He noted, however, that before this glitch, the IRS had been processing returns at a record pace and certifying refunds from paper returns in about five weeks.