If the info you provided is for a closed or invalid account, the government will mail you a refund check. If you entered a valid (but incorrect) account number not belonging to you, usually there’s nothing to worry about, as many banks won’t deposit tax refunds into accounts where names don’t match up.

What happens if I entered the wrong bank account number on my tax return?

If you entered incorrect banking information for your refund, you can change it if your return is rejected. If it is accepted, however, it is too late to change it. The bank will reject the refund and send it back to the IRS. Then the IRS will issue a paper check and mail it to the address you put on your tax return.

Can a refund be deposited into another account?

You should not request a deposit of your refund into an account that’s not in your own name. The IRS handles account or routing number errors the same for both split refunds and regular direct deposits.

What happens if you send the IRS a direct deposit?

In this case, the IRS will send you a paper check for the entire refund instead of a direct deposit. You incorrectly enter an account or routing number and the number passes the validation check, but your designated financial institution rejects and returns the deposit to the IRS.

What happens if you enter wrong bank account number on tax return?

Entering the wrong account information doesn’t mean your refund goes to a stranger. If you’ve entered the wrong bank account number when filing out your tax return for direct deposit, your money isn’t lost forever. The IRS does a validation check to ensure the name on the account matches the name on the tax return.

Can a direct deposit be made to an account not in Your Name?

You can’t request a direct deposit to an account not in your name, so if the Social Security Number and last name of the account holder doesn’t match IRS records, the bank should reject the transaction. When that happens, the IRS will send your refund check to the address on the return.

What happens if I receive a refund through direct deposit?

If you e-filed and chose to receive your refund via direct deposit, but have since realized you entered an incorrect bank routing number or account number, or the bank account has been closed, here’s what will happen: If the return is rejected, you can correct the information and then resubmit your return.