Raise your hand if you miss getting things in the mail that aren’t junk or bills… 
Yep, you’re not alone — but the IRS is slowly retiring snail mail!
What’s Changing?
Thanks to Executive Order 14247, signed in 2025, and the IRS’s push to modernize how it moves money, paper refund checks are being phased out — starting September 30, 2025 for most individual taxpayers. The IRS isn’t rewriting tax forms or making you change how you file your return, but it is changing how refunds are delivered.
Here are the key takeaways:
Direct Deposit Is Now the Default (and Fastest!) Way to Get Your Refund
Most Americans (about 93%) already receive refunds via direct deposit, and the IRS wants everyone else to join the party. Why? Because direct deposit is:
Faster — often your refund hits your account within about 21 days if you file electronically and everything checks out.
Safer — paper checks are far more likely to be lost, stolen, delayed, or altered in the mail.
Cheaper for the government — printing and mailing costs more than clicking send on an electronic transfer.
That’s all great… unless you’re in the fun club of people without a bank account or you forget to give your direct deposit info when you file.
What Happens If You Don’t Provide Direct Deposit Info?
Take a deep breath — the IRS still accepts your tax return, even if you skip the direct deposit section. You won’t get penalized or “deleted” from the tax universe. But here’s what will happen if you’re due a refund and don’t provide banking info:
1. Your Refund Gets Paused
Instead of automatically sending cash into cyberspace, the IRS will:
Temporarily freeze your refund and
Send a letter to your last known address requesting your bank account routing number and account number so the refund can be deposited electronically.
—-> No, they won’t call, text, or slide into your DMs — all outreach about this will be strictly via U.S. mail. (Ironic, right?)
This letter is a CP53E notice, and it gives you about 30 days to respond with your direct deposit details.
2. You Have to Respond … or Wait Longer
If you update your direct deposit information within the deadline, the IRS will release your refund electronically as soon as it can.
If you don’t respond — guess what? The IRS may eventually issue a paper check, but only after a delay (often about six-nine weeks). It’s sort of like being the last kid picked for dodgeball… but with your refund.
So yes: paper checks still exist in limited situations, but they’re clearly on the endangered species list.
What If You Don’t Have a Bank Account?
Good news: not everyone is left out in the cold. The IRS and Treasury recognize that some taxpayers are “unbanked” — meaning they don’t have a traditional bank account. If that’s you, there *are* alternative electronic options like prepaid debit cards or partner mobile payment methods that can receive refunds electronically.
But big red flags if someone ever contacts you asking for your bank info by phone — the IRS NEVER asks for direct deposit details over the phone or via email. That’s a scammer’s dream move.
Bottom Line
Good news: Filing your taxes isn’t changing — just how refunds are delivered.
Better news: Direct deposit is fast, safe, and the IRS’s new go-to method.
Okay news: If you don’t provide direct deposit info, your refund won’t vanish — but it will likely be delayed while the IRS sends you mail asking for it.
Not so great news: Paper refund checks are officially being phased out, so if you were banking (literally) on one, now’s the time to update your direct deposit info.
As your friendly neighborhood CPA, I’ll be here to decode IRS updates and help make sense of every rule — whether it affects your refund or your coffee order. 
Want help updating your tax return or setting up direct deposit next time? Let’s talk!
