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IRS notice decoder · Refunds held, reduced or applied

CP53: your refund is coming by paper check

A CP53 says the IRS couldn't direct deposit your refund, so it's mailing a paper check to your address of record instead.

By the Carry Forward Learning team Reviewed by Hunter Nottingham, JD, CPA

No dated figures Checked Review by

CheckedOct 19, 2026

What a CP53 means

A CP53 says the IRS couldn't send your refund by direct deposit, so it's mailing a paper check. source 1

It's good news with a delay. Nothing is owed and nothing needs signing.

The check goes only to your address of record: the address on your return, or a permanent change you reported after filing. source 1

The date that counts

There's nothing to send. The IRS page gives a set number of weeks from the notice date to expect the check, and says to call the number printed on your notice if it hasn't arrived by then. source 1

Why people get one

  • The bank rejected the deposit, often over a closed account or a mismatched name or number.
  • The refund is for a year too old for direct deposit; the IRS limits it to the current filing year and the two before it. source 1

First steps

  1. Make sure the IRS has your current address. If you moved, update it by calling the number on your notice or by filing Form 8822. source 1
  2. Watch the mail for the check over the period the IRS gives. source 1
  3. If it doesn't arrive, call the number printed on your notice. source 1
  4. Check your IRS online account, typed in yourself at irs.gov, rather than any refund link in a text or email.
  5. Next year, double-check the bank details in the Refund section of your return. source 1

What not to do

  • Don't give bank details to anyone who calls, texts or emails about this refund.
  • Don't re-file the return to fix the deposit; the check is already on its way. source 1
  • Don't expect the check at a new address you never reported. source 1
  • Related CP49 The notice that a refund was used to pay a tax debt.

Questions

Why didn't my CP53 refund go to my bank?

The IRS couldn't send it by direct deposit. It also says direct deposit is available only for the current filing year and the two prior years. source 1

I moved. Where will the CP53 check go?

Only to your address of record. Update it by calling the number on your notice or filing Form 8822. source 1

How can I split next year's refund between accounts?

Attach Form 8888 to your return. source 1

Sources

  1. IRS, Understanding your CP53 notice (updated February 1, 2026) (external site) checked Oct 19, 2026

Every rule on this page comes from the IRS page in the list, read on the date shown. Your notice itself is the final word on its own dates and amounts.