Federal Refund Sent to Closed Bank Account - How Long Until I Get Check?

When your refund gets sent to a closed account, the bank will reject the deposit and send the money back to the IRS. Once the IRS receives the returned funds, they'll automatically issue you a paper check to the address they have on file for you. This process typically takes 3-5 weeks from the date of the rejected deposit, so you're still within the normal timeframe. The IRS is processing millions of returns right now during peak tax season, which can add to delays. You can check your refund status using the "Where's My Refund" tool on the IRS website or through the IRS2Go mobile app. If it's been more than 5 weeks, you should try contacting the IRS directly. The best time to call is early in the morning right when they open or later in the afternoon before they close.

I went through this exact nightmare last year! After waiting 7 weeks for a check that never came, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which totally saved me. I uploaded my return info and it analyzed everything, showing me that my refund had actually been reissued but was sent to an old address I hadn't updated. Their system flagged exactly which IRS transcript page showed the reissued check date and address, which I never would have found on my own. You might want to check it out since it can show you if there's something weird happening with your return that's causing the delay.

I was totally skeptical about taxr.ai but decided to try it since my refund situation was similar - sent to a closed account and then nothing for weeks. Turns out my refund had been reissued but then put on hold because of an address mismatch. The tool showed me exactly which IRS form to fill out and where to send it. Got my check 10 days after I submitted the form. Would have never figured it out from just staring at those cryptic transcripts on my own. Makes me wonder how many people just give up and never get their refunds.

After dealing with this exact situation, I almost lost my mind trying to get through to the IRS. Called like 30 times over two weeks and could never reach anyone. Finally found Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) which got me connected to an IRS agent in under 20 minutes. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The agent told me my refund had been bounced back from my closed account and was being processed for a paper check, but there was a flag on my account because my address had changed since I filed. Once they verified my identity, they updated my address and reissued the check. Without actually talking to someone, I would've been waiting forever.

Well I'm eating my words about Claimyr being a scam. After posting that comment I was so frustrated with my missing refund (also sent to closed account) that I tried it out of desperation. It actually worked exactly as advertised - I got a call back when they reached an IRS agent and I was able to confirm my refund was being processed as a paper check but had been sent to my old address. The agent updated my info right there on the call. Check arrived 9 days later. Still can't believe it worked after my own failed attempts to get through.

If you filed your taxes through a tax preparer or tax software, check if they offered any kind of refund advance or had your refund sent to them first before forwarding it to you. Sometimes they use intermediate accounts and that can cause extra delays when there's an issue with your bank account. Also, make sure the IRS has your current mailing address! If you've moved since filing your last return, the check could be going to your old address.

Something similar happened to me last year. What worked was going to my local IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center. You need to schedule an appointment first (can't just walk in) but they were able to track exactly where my refund was and fixed the issue while I was there.

I went through this exact same situation two years ago! My refund was sent to a Wells Fargo account I had closed months earlier. Here's what I learned from that experience: The 3-5 week timeline that others mentioned is pretty accurate, but it can stretch longer during peak tax season. In my case, it took almost 7 weeks to receive the paper check. The frustrating part is that the "Where's My Refund" tool will keep showing "refund sent" status even after the bank has rejected the deposit. One thing that helped me was requesting my tax transcript online through the IRS website. It shows more detailed information about what's happening with your refund than the basic tracking tool. You might see codes that indicate when the bank returned the funds and when the IRS started processing the paper check. Also, double-check that the IRS has your current mailing address. If you've moved since your last return or if there are any discrepancies in how your address is formatted, that could cause additional delays. The paper check will be sent to whatever address they have on file from your return. Hang in there - it's stressful but the money will come! Just make sure to update your bank info on next year's return so this doesn't happen again.