Overview
- The IRS says this filing season is running smoothly, with most refunds paid in about 21 days when taxpayers e-file and choose direct deposit.
- To phase out paper checks, the agency has issued CP53E notices to roughly 1.4 million filers telling them to add bank details within 30 days or wait for a paper check mailed about six weeks later.
- House Ways and Means Democrats report hundreds of thousands of these letters are going out each week and caution that some taxpayers could wait close to 10 weeks if they do not update their information.
- Tax advocates say the change could hit unbanked households, people living abroad, or others who cannot share bank details, leaving many vulnerable taxpayers without expected refunds for weeks.
- With the April 15 deadline approaching, the IRS urges people to file electronically, enter accurate direct deposit information, and track payments on the Where’s My Refund tool, noting that extensions do not extend time to pay.