Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — During a House committee hearing Wednesday, March 22, 2023, the subject discussed was an error, whether mechanical or human, in the distribution of ASG tax refunds.

Rep. Vailoata Eteuati Amituana’i presided over the hearing where Tax Office manager Toleafoa Vaaimamao Poufa, was summoned to testify as to why many who were supposed to receive their checks did not get them the day of the release on March 8, despite Treasury’s announcement that a total of $953,615 in Earned Income Tax Checks would be included in the first batch.

 “What occurred in the first batch of released tax refunds was a technical difficulty stemming from new rules put forth by the EITC [Earned Income Tax Credit] that was programmed into our system without our knowledge, [and] before we could finalize the input of information for the first batch of tax refunds that were released,” stated Toleafoa. This prevented all of the checks that were to be released that day from being dispersed.

Toleafoa said that the “issue was quickly resolved and that recipients who did not receive their checks in the first batch, and those who experienced difficulties cashing their tax refunds, have had their checks processed and released for payment.”

Faipule Luaitaua Gene Pan also raised a question regarding another taxpayer who received his tax refund on the second run, and filed a complaint about his refund that was missing vital information. Luaitaua asked Toleafoa how long an individual would have to wait while the tax office fixed the error made on his refund, and also asked whether the taxpayer would have to get their check on the next run?

Toleafoa stated that in cases such as this — due to the tax office overlooking minor details — he recommended that these individuals come into the office and consult with them and the matter can be resolved in a day or two.

As previously reported by Samoa News, the second round of tax refund checks for 2022 tax filings — totaling more than $2.9 million — were released on Tuesday, Mar. 21.