Starting 2025, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will significantly transform the manner in which Americans receive their tax refunds. As mandated by Executive Order 14247, enacted into law by President Trump on March 25, 2025, the IRS will ultimately phase out paper checks for tax refund disbursements beginning September 30, 2025. It is the start of a broader effort by the federal government to go completely electronic in all payments, so taxpayers will need to provide bank account information to get their refunds.
The policy is grounded in Executive Order 14247, “Modernizing Payments To and From America’s Bank Account,” which requires all federal agencies to stop issuing paper checks for payments, including tax refunds, on September 30, 2025 as detailed here, It’s not just social security: IRS checks also going digital on September 30. The order aims to ward off financial fraud, conserve time, reduce costs, and enhance the security of federal payments.
Why the IRS is making this change
The transition to electronic refunds also relieves many of the significant issues within the federal payment system. Checks are over 16 times more susceptible to loss, theft, alteration, or delay compared to electronic payments. Electronic refunds also provide taxpayers with faster access to their money, typically in 21 days for electronically filed returns and direct deposit, compared to six weeks or more for mailed checks.
The monetary effect is big. Supporting infrastructure for paper transactions at a cost burdens American taxpayers with more than $657 million alone in Fiscal Year 2024. Complaints of mail theft have drastically increased since the COVID-19 pandemic, and hence electronic payment has become a safer option for taxpayers.
During the 2025 filing season, roughly 93% of the 93.5 million individual refunds were issued electronically. That translates to roughly 6.5 million individual taxpayers who received paper check refunds, the biggest slice of the population afflicted with this change.
Bank account requirements and process
For tax returns in 2026 for 2025 taxes, taxpayers need to provide accurate bank account information, consisting of the routing number and account number, when they file their return to have their refunds deposited directly. The IRS stresses that refunds must only be deposited in United States bank accounts in the taxpayer’s name, spouse’s name, or both for joint accounts.
Taxpayers who do not report banking information on their 2025 tax returns will be delayed. The IRS will send these taxpayers a letter requesting that they provide direct deposit information in 30 days and providing information about how to request an exception. The process of e-filing will notify individuals if banking information is missing from their tax return. After six weeks, if no bank information is provided, the IRS issues a paper check to prevent interest on the refund sum from accumulating.
Limited exceptions to the rule
Executive Order 14247 acknowledges the reality that not all are fortunate enough to have access to traditional banking and provides for “limited exceptions” wherein electronic means would be impracticable. The conditions include individuals without access to banking services, emergency payments where electronic payment would cause undue hardship, and national security activities.
The Taxpayer Advocate Service and external stakeholders have suggested several scenarios under which taxpayers would be exempt from the electronic payment mandate. Some of the following are possible exceptions: unbanked taxpayers, those who object to electronic payment systems due to religious beliefs, incarcerated taxpayers, taxpayers with disabilities, taxpayers with high-fee bank accounts, taxpayers with foreign bank accounts, Individual Taxpayer Identification Number holders, elderly taxpayers, domestic violence victims, and rural or tribal taxpayers with limited access to financial infrastructure.
Alternative payment options
For those taxpayers who don’t have or don’t want to use conventional bank accounts, there will be several alternatives. The Treasury is studying whether prepaid debit cards and digital wallets can be used for safe electronic delivery to unbanked taxpayers. Some mobile apps that have an account number and a routing number can be used for direct deposit, but taxpayers must inquire of their app provider as to what numbers to use.
The IRS encourages unbanked taxpayers to consider whether they can open an account for free or at a low cost, with resources at FDIC.gov/GetBanked and MyCreditUnion.gov. Taxpayers also can split their refund into as many as three accounts by submitting IRS Form 8888.
Read more: IRS Tax Brackets in 2026 for singles: What is my tax rates according to my income?
