More than 100 people in the Springfield metro have checks waiting for them.

Government checks. IRS refund checks. Each one worth more than $700, on average.

The Internal Revenue Service is making a national push to locate the people who are owed money.

"We want to get this money to the people it belongs to," said Michael Devine, IRS spokesperson. "Checks are often returned to the IRS because a life change -- such as a marriage or divorce -- causes an address change."

To find out if you have a refund waiting, visit the IRS.gov web site and
click on Where's My Refund. Here's that address.

To use the self-service tool, taxpayers need to enter information from their 2008 tax return to see the status of their refund check.

Taxpayers without access to the Internet who think they may be missing a refund check can call the IRS Refund Hotline at (800) 829-1954, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Taxpayers who have moved since filing their last tax return can ensure the IRS has their correct address by filing Form 8822, Change of Address, with the IRS. Download the form from the IRS.gov Web site or request it by calling 1-800-829-3676.

In the Springfield area, here's the rundown:

-In Greene County, 87 refund checks, worth $77,208, an average of
$887, were returned.

-In Christian County, 16 refund checks, worth $7,693, an average
of $481 were returned.

-In Taney County, 17 refund checks worth $10,151, an average of
$597 were returned.