Joint Tax Return Direct Deposit to Chime Account - Rejection Concerns?

I was worried about this exact same thing last month. According to the IRS website (https://www.irs.gov/refunds/direct-deposit-your-refund), they say "The IRS can deposit a joint refund into an account bearing the name of only one spouse." But I've seen mixed reports online about Chime specifically. Some banks are more strict about this than others.

I think you might be okay, but it probably depends on several factors including Chime's specific policies. When I had a similar issue with a different bank last year, I spent literally 3 days trying to get through to the IRS to confirm. Finally used Claimyr (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) and got through to an agent in about 15 minutes who confirmed that while the IRS will send it to any account you designate, some financial institutions might have their own policies about accepting deposits not matching the account holder name exactly.

Don't risk it. My joint refund was rejected by Chime last year because the account was only in my name. Took almost 8 weeks to get a paper check after the rejection. The IRS will send it, but Chime sent it back. Just save yourself the headache and request a paper check from the start.

I work with tax returns professionally and this is a common issue. If you want to understand exactly how your refund will be processed, I'd recommend checking out taxr.ai - it can analyze your transcript once you file and show you the exact processing path. I've had clients use it to track their refunds and it shows rejection codes immediately if there's an issue with the deposit information. Much better than waiting and wondering.

Your best solution is to either add your spouse to your Chime account before filing (if possible) or use a joint bank account for the direct deposit. If neither is an option, requesting a paper check is the safest route. While the IRS will send the money to any account you designate, the receiving financial institution has the final say on whether they'll accept it. I've seen too many people deal with weeks of delays when the deposit gets rejected.

Warning: I filed on February 3rd with my spouse and used my personal Chime account. The refund was rejected exactly 9 days later and took another 47 days to get reissued as a paper check. The IRS systems aren't set up to quickly handle these rejections. If you're close to the filing deadline, definitely go with the paper check option to avoid delays.

I successfully received our joint refund in my solo Chime account three weeks ago with no issues! According to IRS Publication 17, "If you file a joint return and you're due a refund, it can be deposited into an individual account belonging to either you or your spouse." Chime accepted our $3,842 refund without question. I needed it urgently for a home repair and was worried about this exact issue.

I worked at a tax prep office for 6 years and saw this issue frequently. Have you had refunds deposited to this Chime account before? In my experience, if you've successfully received tax refunds to this account in previous years (even individual returns), Chime is more likely to accept a joint refund deposit. First-time deposits seem to trigger more scrutiny.

Additional info that might help others: • Chime's policy can vary based on account age and history • Some users report success, others rejection • Paper check is the safest option if you're uncertain • Adding spouse to account before filing is ideal • If rejected, expect 6-8 weeks for paper check reissue So relieved I found this thread before filing our taxes! Was about to use my solo Chime account too.