Your IRS Tax Refund Might Take Longer If You Don’t Follow Direct Deposit Change

Tax season is underway and if you're looking for the fastest way to get your refund, direct deposit is the way to go. A new rule is making that mandatory.

An executive order signed in March 2025 stipulated the U.S. Department of Treasury to require direct deposit to get a tax refund. For taxpayers who don't have direct deposit, a paper check will eventually be issued as a last resort but only during the phase-in period.

The Internal Revenue Service explains that this change does not affect how taxpayers file tax returns. Taxpayers will continue to file returns in the same way as they have in the past.

The IRS expects to receive about 164 million individual income tax returns this year, with most taxpayers filing electronically.

The executive order affects how refunds are issued and also how payments are made. For now, checks and money orders will still be accepted as payments.

What taxpayers should do now

Taxpayers should take these steps:

• Use direct deposit for refunds by providing accurate bank or prepaid debit card information when filing.
• Choose electronic payment options when paying taxes, such as IRS Direct Pay, Electronic Federal Tax Payment System, or other approved methods.
• Review account information to ensure bank details are current and correct.

What if you do not have a bank account

The IRS explains direct deposit into a bank account will be the primary method for issuing refunds, but the executive order acknowledges that not everyone will have access to traditional banking services.

Alternative electronic payment methods, including payments through certain mobile apps and prepaid debit cards, will be available. There will be limited exceptions to the paper check phaseout.

For taxpayers with missing direct deposit information, the IRS will send letters using the last-known address on record, asking taxpayers to update their banking information if they did not provide it on their tax return, or if their financial institution rejected the direct deposit.

The taxpayer will then receive a notice in the mail requesting a response within 30 days, either to provide banking information or to explain why such information cannot be provided.

If there is no response to the notice and there are no other issues with the tax return, the refund will be released as a paper check after six weeks.

Additionally, the Where’s My Refund? tool on IRS.gov will provide messaging related to the request for banking information. The taxpayer will be able to use the IRS Individual Online Account to provide this information.

For security reasons, IRS employees cannot take direct deposit information over the phone or in person. Once the taxpayer provides the direct deposit information or exception, the refund will be immediately released via direct deposit or paper check.

Paying the IRS

If a taxpayer owes money to the IRS, mailed payments to the IRS, including cash, checks, and money orders, will still be accepted and processed for now.

The IRS will accept checks when electronic payment methods are not available for a certain transaction type or in specific situations such as those involving hardships, and/or legal and procedural requirements.

Why is there a change

The change is part of the executive order modernizing payments to and from American bank accounts.

The Treasury Department policy is geared toward preventing financial fraud and improper payments, increasing efficiency, reducing costs, and enhancing the security of federal transactions. Officials say paper checks and money orders are more likely than electronic payments to be lost, stolen, altered, or delayed.

The federal government started phasing out paper tax refunds and other paper payments in September 2025.

Taxpayers have until Wednesday, April 15, 2026, to file their 2025 tax returns and pay any tax due.