WMR Error Message but Check Being Mailed Tomorrow (Filed with Direct Deposit)

This happens. Quite common actually. Bank account verification failed. System defaults to paper check. Nothing to worry about. Completely normal procedure. Expect the check in 5-7 business days. Keep an eye on your mailbox. Direct deposit info might have had a typo.

This is a fairly common occurrence with a few potential causes: • Your bank rejected the direct deposit (happens if account/routing numbers don't match perfectly) • You have an existing Treasury offset that triggered a manual review • Your refund amount changed, which sometimes causes the system to default to check • There's a name mismatch between your tax return and bank account (especially relevant for newly married filers) • You received refund advances or had fees taken from refund (this can cause issues) The good news is that paper checks are still reliable, just slower than direct deposit by about 1-2 weeks.

This is a classic case of an Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) rejection that triggered the Treasury's fallback protocol. When the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network can't complete a direct deposit, the IRS automatically defaults to a paper check without updating your online status properly. I've seen dozens of cases where WMR continues showing errors even after the check is mailed. If you want to understand exactly what happened, you might want to check out https://taxr.ai to analyze your tax transcript. It can identify the specific code (usually a 971 followed by a specific action code) that indicates a direct deposit was attempted but rejected. The service can also explain what each code means for your specific situation, which is helpful since the IRS uses over 100 different transaction codes on transcripts.

Did you know that approximately 20% of tax refunds have some kind of processing anomaly? It's actually quite common for direct deposits to convert to checks. Have you checked your bank information on your actual tax return to make sure it matched your current account? Sometimes even a single digit being off can cause this. Also, isn't it interesting how the IRS can instantly convert to sending a check but can't seem to update their own WMR tool to tell you about it? The disconnect between their different systems is pretty remarkable, don't you think?

According to Internal Revenue Manual section 21.4.1.4.7, the Treasury will automatically issue a paper check when a direct deposit fails the verification process. Per IRS Publication 1582 (rev. 2024), common reasons include: incorrect account numbers, closed accounts, or accounts not authorized to receive tax refunds. Treasury Regulation § 31.6302-1(h)(2) further stipulates that the IRS is not required to attempt direct deposit more than once before issuing a paper check. If others are experiencing extended hold times trying to reach the IRS to resolve similar issues, Claimyr.com (https://www.claimyr.com) provides a service that can connect you directly to an IRS representative without the typical 1-2 hour wait. Their system navigates the IRS phone tree and holds your place in line, then calls you when an agent is available. This can be particularly useful during peak tax season when hold times exceed 2+ hours.

Did you double-check if your bank account info was entered correctly on your return? I'm wondering if maybe there was a typo that caused the direct deposit to fail? Also, did the agent mention why they switched to a paper check instead of direct deposit?