IRS is phasing out paper tax returns. What it means for next year’s tax season

The days of getting your tax refund in the form of a paper check will soon be a thing of the past thanks to an Executive Order from the White House.

The Internal Revenue Service, in partnership with the U.S. Department of the Treasury, announced today that paper tax refund checks for individual taxpayers will be phased out starting Sept. 30, 2025.

This change to electronic payments is designed to protect taxpayers from refunds being lost, stolen, altered or delayed, according to the agency. The switch will also likely speed up the time between when returns are filed and when refunds are recieved by the taxpayer.

Moving forward, most IRS refunds will be delivered through direct deposit or other secure electronic method, according to the IRS. For those without access to bank accounts, the IRS will provide options such as prepaid debit cards, digital wallets and more.

This Executive Order does not change the process for filing tax returns.

The IRS will provide taxpayers with more detailed guidance for 2025 tax returns ahead of the 2026 filing season. Until then, taxpayers should continue using existing forms and procedures, including those whose 2024 returns were extended and are due before the end of the year.