Iowa officials are warning that state income tax refunds will be delayed in 2018.
Department of Revenue Director Courtney Kay-Decker says the refund delays are a result of her agency doubling down on fraud prevention efforts.
The news comes after Iowa residents were told this past spring that their state tax refunds would be delayed several weeks as a measure to combat identity theft and fraud.
But the Des Moines Register says the state didn’t have enough cash to pay residents at the same pace as previous years.
Kay-Decker says her agency stopped nearly 10,500 erroneous refunds from being processed this year through November 12th.
Those refunds accounted for more than $17 million.
Des Moines Register/AP
