Recently, the IRS has been generating confusion by issuing Notice CP53E to individual taxpayers who had a balance due on their 2025 tax returns. The notice asks recipients to submit bank account information so the IRS can send a refund through direct deposit.
The IRS is also mailing Notice CP53E to taxpayers who are already expecting refunds but failed to include direct deposit details when filing their returns. This effort aligns with the federal government’s broader transition toward electronic payments under Executive Order 14247.
Taxpayers who receive Notice CP53E are encouraged to log into their IRS Individual Online Account at IRS.gov and provide their banking information within 30 days from the date printed on the notice. Those who do not respond within that timeframe will instead receive a paper refund check approximately six weeks after the notice date.
Although the CP53E notice is not a scam, we are cautioning clients about scammers that are distributing fake versions. You should only provide sensitive information through the official IRS website to avoid fraud. Additional guidance can be found in IRS News Release IR-2026-43 and Fact Sheet FS-2026-02.
Follow up with a member of our tax team if you have any additional questions or concerns at cgteam.com. © 2026