Just a question for curiosity's sake. I just got my 2008 refund check (I am an overseas filer and filed in June). I had expected direct deposit. I looked at the copy of my return, and had indicated direct deposit, but I got a check anyway. Any ideas as to why?
Tax Refund Check Instead of Direct Deposit
Aug 04, 2009
4 Replies
The US Treasury will not make a direct deposit to a foreign bank or a branch of a US bank located in a foreign country. They only make direct deposits to a US financial institution located in the US (basically you need a valid routing number and account number).
If your request met the above criteria, the following may have happened.
- The routing code was bad.
- The account number was bad or the names on the account did not match any name on the return.
- The bank mistakenly refused the transfer.
- The IRS or US Treasury screwed up.
Scratch that last one, # 4. U S Treasury (not IRS) can at their discretion refuse to honor a direct deposit.
ChEAr$, Harlan Lunsford, EA n LA
4R. The IRS failed to enter or failed to properly enter the request for direct deposit.
Other possibilities come to mind:
- The bank refused the transfer. NOT mistakenly, for banks themselves may refuse to honor the direct deposit for their own reasons. Usually it's a question of the ownership of the requested bank account.
- The taxpayer may have neglected to indicate what type of account it is, whether savings or checking.
ChEAr$, Harlan Lunsford, EA n LA
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