Will IRS Forward Tax Refund to New Address with USPS Mail Forwarding?
Based on my experience with previous PCS moves, I need clarification on the IRS refund forwarding protocol. My current tax refund status indicates it's being mailed rather than direct deposited, but I've recently relocated due to military reassignment. I have USPS mail forwarding active, but during previous deployments, I've received conflicting information about whether the IRS permits forwarding of official tax correspondence. Can anyone confirm the official policy? I've updated my address with most agencies but the refund was already processed with my previous address.
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Kaitlyn Otto
Unfortunately, USPS cannot forward government checks including IRS refunds per USPS Publication 580 and IRS regulations. The envelope will be marked "RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED" which instructs USPS to return the check to the IRS rather than forward it. This is a security measure to prevent fraud and ensure payments reach only the intended recipient at their address of record.
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Axel Far
This is exactly right. I moved last year before my refund was issued. The check went back to IRS. Had to wait another 6 weeks for reprocessing.
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Jasmine Hernandez
Is there any exception to this rule for military personnel under SCRA protections? I've heard active duty members might have different treatment under certain provisions.
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Luis Johnson
What about if you've filed a change of address form with the IRS directly? Would that override their "RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED" directive? Or is the check already in process with the old address data?
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Ellie Kim
You need to update your address with the IRS immediately - it's like trying to redirect a train after it's left the station. I had this happen and filed Form 8822 (Change of Address) right away. It's like a race against time though - if your refund is already in process, it might still go to the old address. The IRS systems are like giant cargo ships - they don't turn quickly.
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Fiona Sand
Does the Form 8822 processing timeframe vary by regional service center? I'm wondering if certain IRS processing centers handle these requests more efficiently than others.
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Mohammad Khaled
Did you also call them after submitting the form? I'm in a similar situation and wondering if calling would speed things up?
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Alina Rosenthal
This is similar to what happens with amended returns. The IRS systems process different form types at different speeds. Address changes can take 4-6 weeks to fully propagate through their systems, while some other updates are nearly instantaneous.
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Finnegan Gunn
I was worried about the same issue when I moved mid-tax season. Someone recommended I try https://taxr.ai to check my refund status and see exactly where my check was in the process. It analyzed my transcript and showed me that my refund hadn't been issued yet, giving me time to update my address. Saved me a lot of anxiety wondering if my money was going to the wrong place. It also showed me when the check was finally issued to my new address.
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Kaitlyn Otto
I'm not sure a third-party service would have more updated information than the IRS's own systems. The Where's My Refund tool and transcript access on IRS.gov provide the same data to track refund status.
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Miguel Harvey
According to the IRS website (https://www.irs.gov/faqs/irs-procedures/address-changes), you have several options: 1. Call the IRS directly at 800-829-1040 2. Submit Form 8822 by mail 3. Write to the IRS office that sent the notice (include your SSN) 4. Update your address on your next tax return For military personnel, there are additional resources through the Armed Forces Tax Council that can help expedite address changes. The AFTC has representatives who can sometimes intervene in these situations.
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Ashley Simian
When this happened to me, I spent THREE DAYS trying to reach someone at the IRS to fix it. Finally used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and got through to an agent in about 20 minutes who put a hold on my check and updated my address in the system. Worth every penny not to keep hearing "due to high call volume" for the 47th time 😂. The agent told me they can actually intercept checks that haven't been mailed yet if you catch it in time.
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Oliver Cheng
How long ago did you move? Does the IRS have any grace period for military relocations? My brother had a similar situation last year.
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