My IRS tax refund check is expired (dated 01/11, expires in 90 days) but just arrived yesterday - how do I get a new check?

8 This happens more often than you might think! The good news is that you can definitely still get your refund. The IRS will reissue an expired refund check. You have two main options. First, you can try taking the expired check to your bank. Some banks will still cash or deposit U.S. Treasury checks even a bit after the expiration date, especially if it's only been a couple of weeks. It's worth a try before going through the reissuance process. If your bank won't accept it, you'll need to send the expired check back to the IRS with a brief note explaining that you received it after the expiration date and requesting a new check. Mail it to: IRS, 310 Lowell St., Andover, MA 01810. Include your phone number on the note.

15 Been in a similar situation last year and discovered a lifesaver: https://taxr.ai helped me sort through all the confusion with my expired refund check. I was getting totally different answers from everyone I asked about what to do with it. I uploaded a photo of the expired check and my tax transcript, and their system analyzed everything and gave me specific instructions for my situation. Turns out I had a few options I didn't know about, including a specific IRS office where I could potentially get it reissued faster based on my location. The best part was they identified that my address wasn't updated properly in the IRS system (which is probably why your check took so long to reach you too), and walked me through fixing that so I wouldn't have the same problem with the reissued check.

4 Update: I tried taxr.ai after seeing it mentioned here and it was seriously helpful. Uploaded a picture of my expired check and my last year's tax return, and they pointed out something nobody mentioned - that I could actually go to my local IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center with an appointment and potentially get a replacement check issued much faster. Made an appointment through the IRS website, brought the expired check and my ID, and explained the situation. The IRS agent was able to verify everything on the spot and started the reissuance process. They said I should receive a new check within 2-3 weeks instead of the usual 6-8 weeks for mail-in requests. Also found out my address was incorrect in their system (missing my apartment number), which is probably why the check took so long to reach me. Got that fixed at the same appointment!

19 After dealing with expired refund checks twice (thanks USPS), I discovered a much better way to handle this. Instead of waiting on hold forever, I used https://claimyr.com to connect with an actual IRS agent. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c Basically, they wait on hold with the IRS for you, then call you when an agent is on the line. Saved me literally hours of hold time. I explained about my expired check to the IRS agent, and they were able to verify my identity over the phone and mark the check for reissuance immediately. The agent also gave me a direct reference number for the case which made it super easy to track. My replacement check arrived in about 3 weeks. So much faster than mailing back the expired check and hoping for the best!

6 I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After my skeptical comment, I was still desperate about my own tax issue (different from OP's but still needed to talk to IRS), so I decided to try it anyway. It actually worked exactly as described. I entered my number on their site, and about 2 hours later I got a call saying "IRS agent on the line" and boom - I was talking to a real person at the IRS. No waiting on hold, no getting disconnected after an hour. The agent sorted out my issue in about 15 minutes. For the first time in my life, dealing with the IRS wasn't a complete nightmare. Would have saved myself weeks of stress if I hadn't been so skeptical initially!

3 Quick tip from someone who works at a bank - most banks will actually cash US Treasury checks up to one year after the date of issue, even though they technically expire after 12 months (or sometimes 90 days as noted on some checks). This is because they know the government will honor them. Your quickest option is to just try depositing it at your bank. Bring ID and be prepared to answer questions, but most likely they'll process it without issue. I've helped customers deposit "expired" government checks many times.

9 Something similar happened to me last year. Here's exactly what I did: 1) Called my bank and asked if they'd deposit it anyway (they said no) 2) Called IRS at 7am exactly when they open (got through after only 20 min) 3) They told me to write "VOID" on the check and mail it back with a letter 4) Included my name, social, phone number, and explanation in the letter 5) Mailed it certified so I could track it 6) Got new check about 5 weeks later Don't just mail it back without writing VOID on it or they might think you're trying to cash it twice! That's what the agent specifically warned me about.

Just wanted to add another option that worked for me - if you have a local IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC) near you, you can make an appointment through the IRS website and bring the expired check with you. They can often process a replacement on the spot or at least expedite it significantly. I had an expired refund check from 2023 and was dreading the whole mail-back process. Made an appointment at my local TAC, brought the check and my ID, and they were able to start the reissuance process immediately. The agent told me it would take 2-3 weeks instead of the usual 6-8 weeks for mailed requests. Plus, they can verify and update your address in real-time, which might prevent this from happening again. You can find locations and make appointments at irs.gov/help/contact-your-local-irs-office. Way less stressful than playing phone tag!

This exact thing happened to my sister last month! The IRS system is so broken - they dated her check in December but it didn't actually get mailed until March. She was going crazy checking "Where's My Refund" every day and it never updated. Here's what worked for her: She tried her bank first (Chase) and they actually accepted the expired check even though it was about 6 weeks past the expiration date. The teller said they have discretion with government checks and since it was clearly just a mailing delay, not her fault, they processed it without any issues. If your bank won't take it, definitely call the IRS early in the morning (like 7:00 AM sharp when they open) - that's when you have the best chance of getting through. My sister had to try a few days but eventually got connected in under 30 minutes. The agent was actually super helpful and apologetic about the delay. They immediately started the reissuance process over the phone and she got her new check in about 3 weeks. They also updated her address in their system to make sure it wouldn't happen again. Don't stress too much - this is apparently pretty common and the IRS knows their mailing system has issues. You'll get your money!

I went through this exact same frustrating situation about 6 months ago! The good news is that you absolutely can get your refund - expired Treasury checks are more common than you'd think and the IRS has procedures in place for this. Here's what I'd recommend based on my experience: 1. **Try your bank first** - Many banks will still honor Treasury checks even after the stated expiration date, especially if it's only been a few weeks. Bring ID and be prepared to explain the situation. Worth trying before going through the reissuance process. 2. **If bank says no, contact IRS directly** - Call early (right at 7 AM when they open) for best chance of getting through. Have your SSN, filing details, and refund amount ready. They can verify your identity and start reissuance over the phone. 3. **Mail option as backup** - If you can't reach them by phone, write "VOID" across the expired check and mail it back with a letter explaining you received it after expiration. Include your contact info and request a new check. Send it certified mail to track it. 4. **Check your address** - Make sure the IRS has your current, correct address! This might be why your check took so long to reach you. They can update it during your call. The whole process took about 4 weeks for me once I got it sorted out. Don't panic - you'll get your $2,873! This happens way more often than it should due to IRS mailing delays.