What happens if you enter an incorrect account number but correct routing number?

[Brendadiaz4146]

My refund was sent out the 26th and I was old to wait 1-5 days for it to be deposited but I just realized the account number I entered was incorrect but the routing number I entered was fine. Will they be able to get through with just the routing number or what happens next? ** instead of account number I entered my wires routing number. So I have both of my routing numbers on there

[mesquitebean]

You wrote: 

"My refund was sent out the 26th and I was old to wait 1-5 days for it to be deposited but I just realized the account number I entered was incorrect but the routing number I entered was fine. Will they be able to get through with just the routing number or what happens next? ** instead of account number I entered my wires routing number. So I have both of my routing numbers on there."

You can phone your bank tomorrow and ask them.   Without a deposit account number at all, they almost certainly will not accept it, and the deposit would be refused and returned to whoever sent it.

If the deposit is coming directly from the IRS/Treasury, and your bank refused it, it would go back to the IRS, and the IRS would issue you a paper check and mail it to the address on your return.

However, if you chose to pay any fees out of your Federal refund,  the deposit comes from an intermediary bank.  If a deposit from the intermediary bank fails, it goes back to that intermediary bank who issues you a check in the mail.

In a worst-case scenario, if that "account number" matches another account at the bank, the deposit could (less likely) end up in the wrong person's account at your bank, which can be a headache at times to resolve.

[rogerloesch]

How does one go about resolving the issue if it is sent to the wrong person?

[SusanY1]

You would need to contact the bank.  Typically, the bank will return the payment to the IRS if the account number and name do not match for IRS payments.  

If the bank is able to identify that the payment went to the wrong person, you may be able to recover it but the bank will have to resolve this issue for you. 

If the bank did reject the payment, the IRS will send you a check. 

@rogerloesch

[DoninGA]

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@rogerloesch wrote:

How does one go about resolving the issue if it is sent to the wrong person?

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The bank should reject the direct deposit of the tax refund if the account number is valid but the name on the account does not match the name on the tax refund.  The rejected refund is returned to the IRS.  The IRS will then send the refund check in the mail to the address on the tax return.