Anyone who had telephone service at any time from March 2003 through July 2006 may be able to receive a one-time federal tax refund of part of the federal telephone taxes that were paid, according to the Internal Revenue Service.

Taxpayers can request a refund based on their actual federal telephone tax payments or they can request a standard amount of $30 to $60 depending on the number of exemptions claimed on their tax return, the IRS said.

Using a standard amount will enable you to avoid gathering more than three years of old phone bills, officials said.

If you believe you paid more than the standard amount, you may do better by basing your refund request on the actual amount of taxes you paid.

If you don’t need to file a tax return, the IRS has created a simple form (1040EZ-T) for individuals to use.

Businesses and tax-exempt organizations also may receive a one-time refund of the federal telephone excise taxes billed to them during the same time frame. They can request this special refund on your 2006 federal income tax return.

The IRS has developed a formula for businesses and tax-exempt organizations to estimate their federal telephone excise tax refunds. Using the formula may be easier than gathering 41 months of old phone records to figure your refund.

If a representative believe the business or organization paid more than the amount figured using the special formula, they may do better by basing the refund request on the actual amount of taxes paid. Businesses and tax-exempt organizations must use IRS Form 8913 to request their refunds.

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