SunTrust/Truist Bank Merger - Different Routing Number for Tax Refund
I'm staring at my tax forms like they're a puzzle with missing pieces. My bank account situation is like a house that got remodeled while I was on vacation - everything's in a different place! SunTrust merged with Truist since I filed last year, and now I'm seeing my routing number is completely different. It's like trying to mail a package to an address that changed overnight. I already e-filed for 2023 using what I thought was my correct banking info (used the same numbers as last year), but now I'm worried my refund will be like a letter sent to a demolished building. My husband keeps saying it'll be fine, but I checked every detail three times on our joint return and now I'm second-guessing everything. Has anyone else who banks with SunTrust/now Truist already filed? Did you use the old routing number or the new one? Did your refund arrive without issues? I've documented everything meticulously in case there's a problem, but I'd rather avoid the headache of a delayed refund if possible.
23 comments


Ethan Brown
I went through this exact situation. Here's what you need to know: Step 1: Don't panic. The bank has systems in place to handle this merger transition. Step 2: Call Truist customer service directly. I had to wait about 30 minutes, but they confirmed that during the transition period, both routing numbers are valid. They're forwarding deposits automatically. Step 3: For future reference, update your records with the new routing number. The old SunTrust routing number will eventually be phased out completely. Step 4: If you're really concerned, you can amend your return, but honestly, it's probably not necessary. The banking system is designed to handle mergers. Step 5: Keep documentation of when you filed and the confirmation number from your tax software just in case.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•Oh thank you so much for this detailed explanation! I've been so worried about this! My anxiety has been through the roof thinking my refund would just disappear into some banking black hole. Such a relief to hear they're forwarding deposits!
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Carmen Ortiz
•I'm wondering, do you perhaps know how long this transition period lasts where both routing numbers are valid? I'm concerned because I may have used the old routing number for several automatic payments as well...
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Andre Rousseau
Call Truist directly. Their phone lines are swamped right now with tax season questions. I used Claimyr.com to get through to them in about 15 minutes instead of waiting for hours. The agent confirmed that refunds sent to old SunTrust routing numbers are being automatically redirected to your Truist account. They'll process correctly as long as the account number matches. Don't waste time on hold - https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - this service saved me a lot of frustration.
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Zoe Papadakis
•Hmm, interesting suggestion. I've never heard of using a service to get through phone queues before. Does it actually work consistently? I'm always a bit cautious about third-party services that claim to bypass wait times.
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Jamal Carter
•I filed on February 15th and used my old routing number. Do you think I should call them now or wait until closer to when I expect my refund? I'm trying to decide if I should be proactive or just wait and see.
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AstroAdventurer
•Is this like having a mail forwarding service but for your money? I'm trying to understand how the bank handles this behind the scenes. Does the money actually go to the old bank first and then get redirected?
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Mei Liu
I'm in the exact same boat with Truist! Just got off the phone with them after waiting forever. Here's what I learned: • Both routing numbers will work for the ENTIRE 2024 tax season • They've set up an automatic redirect system for all electronic deposits • Your account number is the critical piece - that needs to be correct • They're not planning to fully phase out old routing numbers until late 2024 • If you check your account online, you'll see the new routing number listed Honestly, I was stressed about this too, but they've apparently dealt with this situation thousands of times already this year. As long as your account number is right, your money will find its way home.
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Liam O'Sullivan
•Thank you for sharing this information! I had a similar experience when PNC bought my local bank last year. It's nice to know the banking system has procedures for these mergers. Saved me a call to customer service.
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Amara Chukwu
•Is there any regulatory requirement that mandates how long banks must maintain routing number forwarding after mergers? I'm curious if this is standardized or varies by financial institution.
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Giovanni Conti
I went through this exact merger headache last year! My refund was delayed because I used the wrong routing number, and when I finally got my transcript from the IRS, it was full of confusing codes. I used https://taxr.ai to analyze my transcript - it explained exactly what was happening with my refund and showed me the banking trace numbers. Turns out my refund had been rejected by the bank and was being reprocessed. The tool predicted exactly when I'd get my money and explained all those mysterious codes on my transcript. Saved me hours of stress trying to decipher what was happening!
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Fatima Al-Hashimi
•Thx for the recommendation! Ngl, I've been lowkey freaking out about my refund status. Got a 971 code on my transcript and had no idea what it meant. Might check this out if my deposit doesn't show up soon. Does it work with mobile?
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NeonNova
I'm sort of in a similar situation, but with Wells Fargo. I think I might have possibly used an old account number that I closed last year. Does anyone possibly know if the IRS will just mail a paper check if the direct deposit info doesn't work? I'm a little worried about what might happen...
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Dylan Campbell
This banking merger situation creates more confusion than necessary, doesn't it? The IRS actually has specific procedures for handling rejected direct deposits. Did you know that if your direct deposit is rejected due to incorrect banking information, the IRS automatically converts your refund to a paper check? This process typically adds 2-4 weeks to your refund timeline. But here's the real question: why do banks make these transitions so complicated for customers? You can verify if your refund was rejected for direct deposit by checking your tax transcript online or calling the IRS refund hotline. The transcript will show a code 841 if the direct deposit was rejected, followed by a code 971 indicating a notice was issued. Most people don't realize that banks are required by federal regulations to process deposits sent to old routing numbers during merger transitions for at least one year.
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Sofia Hernandez
I work in banking (not Truist specifically) and can shed some light on this. Did you receive any notification from Truist about using the new routing number? Have you logged into your online banking recently to check if they've posted any alerts about this? Most major banks maintain routing number forwarding for 12-18 months after a merger. This is standard practice to prevent exactly the situation you're worried about. Have you received any official communication from Truist indicating that the old routing numbers are no longer valid?
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Dmitry Kuznetsov
I went through this exact situation with the SunTrust/Truist merger. I filed on January 29th, 2024 using my old SunTrust routing number by mistake. My refund of $3,842 was direct deposited successfully exactly 18 days later on February 16th. The bank automatically redirected it using their internal systems. According to the Truist representative I spoke with, they will continue accepting the old routing numbers through December 31, 2024. After that date, any ACH transfers or direct deposits using the old routing number will be rejected.
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Matthew Sanchez
I'm going through the exact same situation right now! Filed my return in early February using my old SunTrust routing number before I realized they had changed everything. I've been checking my bank account obsessively every day wondering if my refund will just vanish into thin air. Reading through all these responses is such a relief - it sounds like most people have had their refunds go through without any issues. I think I'm going to take the advice here and call Truist directly just to confirm my account status and get peace of mind. Has anyone here actually experienced their refund being rejected due to the routing number change? I keep seeing people say it should work fine, but I'd love to hear from someone who can confirm their refund went through smoothly with the old routing number. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is so helpful during tax season stress!
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Sophia Carson
•I can confirm that my refund went through perfectly! I filed on February 3rd using my old SunTrust routing number and received my direct deposit on February 19th without any issues. The money showed up in my Truist account exactly as expected. I was worried for nothing - the bank's forwarding system worked seamlessly. You should be totally fine, but calling them for peace of mind is never a bad idea. The obsessive account checking is so relatable though - I did the same thing until my refund appeared!
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Malik Thomas
I'm dealing with this exact same situation and honestly, reading all these responses has been such a huge relief! I filed my return in late January using my old SunTrust routing number because I completely forgot about the merger changes. I've been losing sleep over this thinking my refund would just disappear into some banking void. It sounds like most people here have had successful experiences with their refunds going through, even with the old routing number. The automatic forwarding system seems to be working well for the transition period. I'm definitely going to call Truist tomorrow to double-check my account status - better safe than sorry during tax season! One quick question for those who've already received their refunds - did you get any notification from the bank when the deposit came through, or did it just show up normally in your account? I want to make sure I'm not missing any important communications about the routing number change. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community really helps reduce the tax season anxiety!
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Liam Mendez
•Hey Malik! I just went through this same situation and can answer your question about notifications. When my refund came through (I also used the old SunTrust routing number), it showed up as a normal direct deposit in my Truist account - no special alerts or anything different from usual. I got the standard mobile banking notification that I always get for deposits over a certain amount. The only way I could tell there had been any routing behind the scenes was that it took maybe one extra day compared to previous years, but that could have been coincidental. Definitely call them for peace of mind, but based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like the system is working smoothly!
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Riya Sharma
I'm in the exact same situation! I banked with SunTrust for years and completely forgot about the routing number change when I filed in early February. I've been refreshing my bank account every few hours like it's going to magically make my refund appear faster. After reading everyone's experiences here, I'm feeling so much more confident that everything will work out fine. It sounds like Truist really has their act together with the automatic forwarding system during this transition period. For anyone else stressing about this - I called Truist yesterday and the representative told me that they're processing thousands of these redirected tax refunds daily without any issues. She said as long as your account number is correct, the routing number redirect happens automatically on their end. One tip that helped calm my nerves: I set up account alerts in the Truist mobile app so I'll get notified immediately when any deposit hits my account. That way I'm not constantly checking manually. Tax season is stressful enough without adding unnecessary banking anxiety to the mix!
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Everett Tutum
•Riya, I'm so glad you mentioned setting up account alerts! That's such a smart tip - I've been doing the same obsessive refreshing and it's driving me crazy. I just downloaded the Truist app and set up notifications too. It's reassuring to hear from someone who actually called them recently and got confirmation that they're handling thousands of these redirects daily. I think I'm going to stop worrying about this now - between everyone's positive experiences here and the bank actively managing the transition, it sounds like we're all going to be fine. Thanks for sharing that tip about the mobile alerts!
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Paolo Romano
I just went through this exact same situation and wanted to share my experience to hopefully ease some worries! I filed my 2023 return on February 8th using my old SunTrust routing number because I completely spaced on the merger changes. My refund of $2,156 was deposited into my Truist account on February 23rd without any issues whatsoever. It showed up as a normal direct deposit - no delays, no complications, just processed like any other year. The automatic forwarding system worked perfectly. What really helped my peace of mind was logging into the Truist online banking and updating my direct deposit information for next year. Under the account details section, you can clearly see both the old and new routing numbers, and there's even a note explaining that both will work through the end of 2024. For anyone still worried: the bank merger teams have been planning for tax season for months. They know this is their biggest test of the forwarding system, and from what I can tell, they've got it handled. Your refund will find its way to your account just fine!
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