NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A Rutherford County couple who spent months trying to get their federal tax refund finally has their money after U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty’s office stepped in to help.
I first spoke with Dee Dee and Rick Lunsford in July, when they said they had already been waiting eight months for their refund.
The couple said they struggled to get answers from the IRS. Dee Dee Lunsford said she tried repeatedly to reach someone but often encountered automated prompts instead of a person.
“You call and you get this bot or something and gives you all these options and there’s not one to talk to anybody,” Rick Lunsford said.
After my original story aired, Hagerty’s state office contacted the couple and offered to help.
“He said the only way he knew about it was he watched it on TV. He saw your report,” Rick Lunsford said.
After the couple signed a release allowing Hagerty’s office to assist with the case, the office helped identify the issue with the return. The Lunsfords said information on Rick’s return had been entered in the wrong place.
“Every return before this one, I put it where it was supposed to be because TurboTax did it, and now they’re saying it doesn’t go there, it goes somewhere else,” he said.
The couple then filed an amended return with H&R Block. This past week, their refund check finally arrived.
“We’re very thankful that we got a check before Christmas,” Dee Dee Lunsford said.
Hagerty later highlighted the case on social media, saying his office was happy to help and encouraging other Tennesseans who need assistance navigating a federal agency to contact his office.
Happy to report our state office was able to step in and help the Lunsford family get the answers and assistance they needed! Serving Tennesseans is an honor. If you need support navigating a federal agency, our office is always here for you. https://t.co/SYqOT4mEbQ
— Senator Bill Hagerty (@SenatorHagerty) September 29, 2026
For the Lunsfords, much of the money is already spoken for.
“We got county and city taxes that come up to $4,000. That’s a big chunk of the check right there,” Rick Lunsford said.
The IRS says taxpayers who have already checked the Where’s My Refund? tool and called customer service can also try making an appointment at a local taxpayer assistance center for in-person help. The Taxpayer Advocate Service may also be able to assist people having trouble resolving an IRS issue.
If you have an issue in Rutherford County you want NewsChannel 5 Rutherford County Reporter Aaron Cantrell to look into, email Rutherford@NewsChannel5.com.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
September 11, 2001 is a day most associate with terror and tragedy. Austin Pollack shares a story from that day about hope and persistence: the effort to save a little girl’s life – with an organ donation. The problem? The young patient was in Houston, and her life-saving liver here in Nashville. With the grounding of all civilian aircraft, how could it be done? “Nobody ever said this isn’t possible.”
- Rhori Johnston
