That is not recommended. First of all, some banks will refuse the refund deposit if the account holder and the taxpayer's names don't match. You would then get a check in the mail about four weeks late. Secondly, your mother would have complete control over your refund and you would have no legal recourse through the IRS or through the bank if she refused to give it to you.
Some things you should think about instead are;
1. Open an account in your own name. If you go to a credit union or smaller local bank, you can probably find an option with low or zero fees. You could also open a bank account online with low or zero fees using one of several different national online banks such as Ally Bank, Discover Bank, or others.
2. If you have trouble opening a bank account in your own name for some reason, you might think about opening a new joint account with your mother. A joint account should not have the same problem in receiving a refund deposit.
3. You could purchase a prepaid money card at any local gas station, drugstore, or grocery store, such as a Netspend card, a Green Dot card, or one of several others. Once you activate the card and register it in your name, you can use it like a checking account for a direct deposit from the IRS. You would get the routing number and account number that are associated with that card and put them on your tax return as your checking account number.
4. In most cases, you can request to receive your refund on a Turbo brand debit card direct from TurboTax using the program. The main difference between a Turbo brand debit card and any other debit card you might get would be the user fees. Different cards have different monthly user fees for not maintaining a minimum balance or for obtaining cash advances. A website such as Nerd Wallet may be helpful in finding good prepaid debit cards with low fees.
