UK tax refund

Today I get two envelopes from HM Revenue.  Oooops! What's that about?  Well, one contains a cheque for 140+ pounds and the other is a letter explaining how I overpaid and this is a refund blah blah.

So, OK.  But now am I going to have to report this as income on my US taxes?  Or since it was "my" money to begin with does it not count?  I already have to report any refunds from state tax to the feds, so I wonder ...

IMHO.....as a total know-not-much-at-all layperson, only if you to the a credit for UK tax paid to offset US tax.

But if your only income (like mine) is US SS and a miniscule amount of interest, you likely had little/no US liability anyway. In any case, unlike a state tax refund the entire amount would not be reportable - remember you itemize and deduct all the state tax; you don't deduct all the UK tax in the same way.

Seems like if you did claim a credit, then it's just a matter of filing an amended return, allocating the 'refund' to the US calender year w/r/t the credit you took (if any).

Some professional will likely jump in now with some complicated answer....

Nope, didn't do any tax credit stuff.  I've only got US SS benefit, a small work pension and UK pension (as a spouse).  Don't even have enough bank interest to report)  It all seems such piddling amounts in the great scheme of things. 

I think you're golden......such a pittance in the grand scheme of things, and I won't report you for sure!