THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Wednesday, August 3, 1994              TAG: 9408030428
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS 
DATELINE: RICHMOND                           LENGTH: Short :   31 lines

REFUND NOTICES TO U.S. RETIREES ARE ON THEIR WAY

Don't worry, the refund notice is in the mail.

That was the word from the Virginia Department of Taxation on Tuesday to federal pensioners who are seeking their share of a $340 million income-tax settlement.

The tax department received about 1,500 phone calls Monday from retirees responding to ads publicizing the refund offer. By midday Tuesday, 900 more calls had come, said Dianne Lee, a department spokeswoman.

Monday was the deadline for the state to notify Virginia's 186,000 federal retirees, by first-class mail, of the amount they are due.

Lee said all notices were mailed Monday. Retirees are asked to wait until next Monday before calling the department to obtain a refund-request form. If no notice comes by then, retirees can call (800) 730-8730. In the Richmond area, the number is 367-2601.

``A lot of people are calling to find out if they're on the list,'' Lee said. ``Some have already received their form and are asking specific questions about what's on the form.'' by CNB