@Anonymous - there are multiple paths that refunds can take
1) I am due a refund of $1,000 from the IRS and I get $1,000 back from the IRS. I owe TT $80. I pay TT outside of my refund. My direct deposit information is on my return and i do get my refund direct deposited. that can be to a traditional checking account or to a debit card, A debit card is no more than a traditional checking account with a card attached to it.
2) I am due of $1000 from the IRS and owe TT $80. I request that the $80 be netted from my refund so I only receive $920. That way I don't have to come out of pocket for the $80 while I wait on the refund. What I think occurs in this case is that there is a temporary account set up so that when the IRS sends the $1,000 a company that TT employs called SBTPG, which is a sister company of Greendot Bank, receives that payment and remove $80 before placing the rest of it on my Greendot card. That way TT is ensured they actually get paid their $80 - otherwise, once I have my refund, why pay TT (other than it's the right thing to do!).,
Now we get to the Rebates, in #1, the rebate is direct deposited. Doesn't matter whether you have a good old checking account with paper checks or you only have a debit card. Good to go.
BUT, if your original experience was #2, then when the IRS sends the rebate to the account they were originally provided for the refund they find out it's closed! Remember this was the temporary account SBTPG used to ensure that they got the $80 for TT and I never got it. In this case the IRS doesn't have the correct bank information and sends out a check for the rebate. I fear this is what is occurring and i could be wrong. But the SBTPG website FAQ appears to support this. They say they are not involved in the Rebates and their customers will receive checks - no direct deposit.
