PROVIDING OUTSTANDING
TAX SEMINARS SINCE 1995

REGISTER

IRS Delays of Refunds Requested by Check

As discussed in our post on January 29, 2026, the IRS is sending a CP53E notice in the mail to taxpayers who request a refund by check. The notice requests that taxpayers provide bank account information for the direct deposit of the refund through an IRS online account.

Taxpayers can create an IRS online account at: https://www.irs.gov/payments/online-account-for-individuals. However, taxpayers need to sign into such an account using ID.me.

As of March 6, 2026, the IRS has indicated that it has sent out over 1 million CP53E notices.

Taxpayers who do not respond to the notice will generally receive their refunds by check after 6 weeks. Taxpayers who call the IRS and request the refund check may receive it sooner.

Practitioners should continue to recommend that clients use direct deposit for refunds, and for those clients who cannot or will not use direct deposit, practitioners should warn them to expect to receive the CP53E notice and to expect a delay in receiving the check.

The information provided herein is provided with the understanding that the author and publisher are not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional service. As such, M + O = CPE, Inc. and the author disclaim any responsibility or liability for the information supplied herein or the application of said information.