IRS says they deposited my refund on 2/4/2026 to my bank ... I didn't receive it!!?

[bosmajordan]

Who do I contact?

[mesquitebean]

Did you have any optional features such as "pay fees out of refund",or the "up to 5 days early" offer, a Refund Advance, etc.?  All of those options use a third-party intermediary bank.   We can tell you more when we know what you chose for your refund options.   Or was the refund supposed to go directly from the IRS to your bank account in one step?

[MindyB]

You'll need to contact the IRS at 800-829-1040.

You should also check your tax return to be sure you are checking the same bank as you requested the direct deposit into (go to Tax Tools on the left of your screen, choose Tools, then View Tax Summary. On the left of the screen, select Preview my 1040).

[bosmajordan]

I did make a mistake on one digit of my bank account number. Now what?

[DoninGA]

@bosmajordan The bank will reject the deposit since the account number is incorrect.  They send the tax refund back to the IRS.  The IRS will then mail a refund check to the address on the tax return.

[mesquitebean]

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@ DoninGA wrote:

@ bosmajordan The bank will reject the deposit since the account number is incorrect.  They send the tax refund back to the IRS.  The IRS will then mail a refund check to the address on the tax return.

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NEW this year you may have another option:

Since the IRS is phasing out the use of paper checks in most cases, they now offer an opportunity for you to correct the incorrect direct deposit account info online.   If the bank sends the refund back to the IRS, a paper check may not automatically be sent.   Instead, it's possible that the refund would be frozen for 30 days, and the IRS may give you a chance to correct it within 30 days by using your Online IRS account (or establishing one) to update the deposit information.      The IRS may send you a letter called a CP53E notice.  It may take a couple of weeks to arrive after the initial deposit was returned.

IRS:  Understanding your CP53E notice

https://www.irs.gov/individuals/understanding-your-cp53e-notice

If the update in the Online IRS Account is unsuccessful, or if you don't respond to the CP53E notice to update it, the IRS says it will ultimately issue the paper check after 6 weeks have gone by.   There are FAQs about the process on that IRS page I linked above.

[bosmajordan]

I chose to go directly to my bank only.

[JohnB5677]

You can call the IRS and try to change the bank account number, but you'll have a hard time getting through.  The check may already be on it's way.

You can call toll-free at 1-800-829-1040 or visit a Taxpayer Assistance Center Local IRS Office