What's the advantage of direct deposit vs. a check?

Get your refund faster, more securely, and more conveniently. The IRS expects to issue 9 out of 10 refunds within 21 days when you e-file and choose direct deposit. Checks, however, can take 4–6 weeks to arrive in the mail.

Direct deposit refunds are convenient and secure. Your money goes straight into your account, so you don't have to worry about lost checks or trips to the bank.

It's possible to divide a direct deposit refund into two or three different accounts, except when you're using the Pay With My Refund option to pay your TurboTax fees.

To help combat fraud, IRS regulations prohibit direct deposits into foreign accounts—only domestic accounts located in the United States are eligible for direct deposit.

Also, the IRS won't deposit more than three refunds into the same bank account during the same year. If you have more than three refunds, the additional direct deposit requests will be processed as refund checks and mailed to the address on file with the IRS.