Is this EITC Treasury envelope a promotional mailer or my tax refund? (Shows "50 years" anniversary text)
Got this envelope in the mail today from U.S. Department of the Treasury. It has the EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit) logo on it pretty prominently displayed. The envelope specifically says "50 years of strengthening America's working families" right above the EITC logo. Below the logo it says "Just imagine what you could do with the EITC." There's also text that says "Click here for more information" and "U.S. Department of the Treasury >" which makes me think this might be a promotional thing rather than my actual refund. The full text on the envelope seems to be: "From: U.S. Department of the Treasury Department of the Treasury Revenue Service 50 years of strengthening America's working families EITC EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT IRS Just imagine what you could do with the EITC. Click here for more information U.S. Department of the Treasury >" Do you guys think this might be my tax refund check?? I haven't opened it yet cause I'm at work but I'm dying to know if anyone recognizes this as a check or just another info letter lol. Has anyone else received something like this? The "just imagine what you could do" part makes me wonder if it's just promotional material about the EITC rather than my actual refund.
40 comments


Theodore Nelson
That's just an informational letter about the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), not a check. The Treasury Department and IRS send these out as part of their awareness campaign to make sure eligible taxpayers know about and claim the credit. The EITC is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, which is why they mention "50 years of strengthening America's working families." If it were an actual refund check, the envelope wouldn't have promotional language like "Just imagine what you could do with the EITC" on it. Tax refund checks typically come in very plain, official-looking envelopes without marketing messages. Sorry to disappoint - but at least you know what it is now rather than getting your hopes up!
0 coins
Carmella Fromis
•aww man i was hoping it was my money 😠I filed back in April and still waiting on my refund. Thanks for explaining tho
0 coins
AaliyahAli
•Yeah these EITC letters are going out to everyone. I got mine last week and thought the same thing lol
0 coins
Theodore Nelson
•No problem! If you're waiting on a refund since April, have you checked your transcript or "Where's My Refund" on the IRS website? That might give you a better idea of when to expect it.
0 coins
Carmella Fromis
•I tried the where's my refund tool but it just says "still processing". So frustrating. Not sure how to check transcript
0 coins
Ellie Simpson
If you're trying to figure out what's happening with your refund, I'd highly recommend using taxr.ai to check your transcript. I was in a similar situation last year, waiting for months with no updates, and the "Where's My Refund" tool was useless. Taxr actually explained my transcript in plain English and told me exactly what was happening with my refund, including when I could expect it. It's insanely good! I use it every week to check for updates. https://taxr.ai
0 coins
Arjun Kurti
•Sounds interesting. How exactly does it work? Does it just read your transcript or does it do more?
0 coins
Ellie Simpson
•It does way more than just read it! It explains all those weird IRS codes, tells you if there are any issues with your return, gives you a timeline of what's happened so far and what to expect next. The AI explains everything in normal human language instead of IRS gibberish. Seriously was a gamechanger for me.
0 coins
Arjun Kurti
•Just tried it and wow! This is exactly what I needed. I've been staring at my transcript for weeks trying to decode all those numbers and dates. Taxr told me exactly what stage my refund is in and when I can expect it. Wish I'd known about this months ago!
0 coins
Raúl Mora
After waiting forever for my refund this year, I finally got through to an actual human at the IRS by using the Claimyr calling app. Got a live agent callback in under an hour when I had been trying for WEEKS to get through the normal way. The agent was able to tell me there was a small issue with my return that wasn't showing online and they resolved it on the spot. Payment hit my account a week later. Best money I ever spent to finally get my questions answered! Check out claimyr.com if you're tired of waiting on hold forever.
0 coins
Margot Quinn
•This sounds like an ad lol. Does this actually work? 🤔
0 coins
Raúl Mora
•I swear its not an ad 😂 I was desperate after trying to call the IRS like 20 times and always getting the "we're experiencing high call volume" message. Saw someone mention it on another thread here and gave it a shot. Talking to a actual agent was the only thing that got my refund moving.
0 coins
Evelyn Kim
•Can confirm this works. Was about to lose my mind waiting on hold and hanging up after 2 hours. Used Claimyr and spoke to someone within 40 mins. Changed my life!
0 coins
Margot Quinn
•ok im intrigued... might have to try this cause I'm going on month 5 of waiting for my return and can't get a human on the phone
0 coins
Diego Fisher
Definitely not a check bro. I got the same thing last week. Just an info pamphlet about EITC.
0 coins
Henrietta Beasley
I got the same letter yesterday and got super excited thinking it was my refund 😂 Just opened it and its just info about EITC eligibility and how to claim it next year. Such a tease!
0 coins
Carmella Fromis
•Ughhh why do they gotta play with our emotions like that 💀
0 coins
Lincoln Ramiro
•Classic IRS move... send you advertisements when what you really want is your money back lol
0 coins
Faith Kingston
No that's not a check. Believe me, when you get a check from the IRS it comes in a very boring plain envelope. They don't put cute slogans or fancy marketing on refund checks. This is just them advertising the EITC program to make sure eligible people claim it.
0 coins
Emma Johnson
Anyone else think it's crazy that the IRS spends money mailing out promotional materials when they're so backed up on processing returns? 🤡 Maybe focus on sending our refunds instead of brochures???
0 coins
Liam Brown
•THIS!!! I've been waiting 7 months for my refund but they have money for marketing campaigns 🙄
0 coins
Olivia Garcia
•Different budgets and departments. The customer service and return processing teams aren't the same as their outreach department.
0 coins
Emma Johnson
•Don't care bout different departments, it's all one agency wasting our tax dollars while making us wait for OUR money
0 coins
Noah Lee
•To be fair, EITC outreach is actually important - billions in EITC go unclaimed every year because people don't know they qualify. But I agree the timing feels tone deaf when so many are waiting for refunds.
0 coins
Ava Hernandez
I've worked for a tax prep company and can confirm that's just an informational mailer about the EITC program. Actual refund checks come in much more plain/official envelopes with no marketing language. Sorry to burst your bubble!
0 coins
Isabella Martin
Hey I had my transcript stuck in limbo for 3 months and couldn't make sense of it at all - then I tried taxr.ai which explained everything. Turns out I had a simple math error that was holding everything up! The site gave me the exact steps to fix it. Two weeks later, refund deposited. https://taxr.ai saved me from IRS hell.
0 coins
Elijah Jackson
•Never heard of taxr.ai before - does it cost anything? And how does it explain better than just looking at your transcript yourself?
0 coins
Isabella Martin
•It analyzes all those confusing codes and tells you in plain english what's happening with your return. WAY better than trying to google each code and piece it together yourself. Totally worth it for the time saved alone.
0 coins
Sophia Miller
LOL good one. The IRS teasing you with an envelope that LOOKS important but is just promo material... classic government move
0 coins
Mason Davis
Opening that letter is like getting socks for Christmas when you asked for a PS5
0 coins
Mia Rodriguez
•🤣🤣🤣 perfect analogy
0 coins
Jacob Lewis
I spent HOURS trying to reach an IRS agent about a similar issue (waiting on refund, getting random mail). Finally used claimyr.com after seeing it mentioned here and got through to an agent in 35 minutes. They explained everything and fixed a hold on my account. My refund was released the next day. Talking to an agent got my refund released so fast.
0 coins
Amelia Martinez
•How does claimyr work? Does it just call for you?
0 coins
Jacob Lewis
•Basically it navigates the phone tree and waits on hold for you, then calls you back when an agent is actually on the line. Saves hours of your life!
0 coins
Ethan Clark
Fun fact: The EITC has been around for 50 years (since 1975), and that's why they're sending these promotional letters out this year. It's a big anniversary for one of the largest anti-poverty programs in the US. But yeah, definitely not your refund check lol
0 coins
Mila Walker
Man I wish it was your check! But I can tell you 100% that's just their EITC awareness campaign. If u want to know where your real refund is, check your transcript with the IRS or try the Wheres My Refund tool on IRS.gov
0 coins
Carmella Fromis
•I tried Where's My Refund but it's still on "processing" for the past 2 months 😩
0 coins
Mila Walker
•That sucks! You might wanna call them directly then, especially if it's been more than 21 days since filing.
0 coins
Logan Scott
Nothing crushes your soul quite like getting mail from the Treasury that turns out NOT to be money. Been there friend. 🥲
0 coins
Connor Gallagher
Ugh, the IRS really knows how to get our hopes up! I got the exact same envelope last week and had the same reaction - saw "Treasury" and "EITC" and thought maybe it was related to my refund. Nope, just a fancy brochure explaining how great the EITC is. The "Just imagine what you could do" line should have been the dead giveaway that it's marketing material. Real refund checks don't come with motivational slogans! 😅 At least now you know what to expect when you open it. Still waiting on your actual refund though? That's the real question!
0 coins