IRS Notice CP53E: What Is It & What to Do If You Receive One
5/19/2026
After filing their 2025 federal income tax return, some taxpayers may receive IRS Notice CP53E. This notice is issued when the IRS is unable to process a direct deposit refund and requests banking information before issuing a refund. The IRS has also mistakenly sent these notices to taxpayers who were not due a refund.
While most of these notices are legitimate, there have been reports of fraudulent versions designed to steal sensitive information. Understanding what this notice means and how to verify its authenticity is critical before taking action.
What Is IRS Notice CP53E & Why Would You Receive One?
IRS Notice CP53E is an official notice issued when the IRS is unable to direct deposit a taxpayer’s refund. This may occur if bank account information was not included on the return, entered incorrectly, if the bank rejected the direct deposit, or if the account could not be validated by the IRS. When this happens, the IRS may request that the taxpayer update or provide banking information through their online IRS account within 30 days of the notice date to receive their refund.
If the taxpayer does not respond to the notice, the IRS will issue the refund via a paper check after six weeks.
Before You Take Action
Before responding to any IRS notice, taxpayers should pause and carefully review the document. Taxpayers should check their IRS online account to confirm the notice’s validity. Fraudulent notices are becoming increasingly sophisticated and often closely resemble official IRS correspondence in both formatting and language by:
- Links or QR codes that don’t lead to IRS.gov
- Requests to respond via email, text, or social media
- Requests for sensitive information or unusual refund methods; i.e. giftcards
It is important to remember that the IRS does not initiate taxpayer contact through email, text messages, or social media to request personal or financial information.
Have Questions
Navigating IRS notices can be stressful, especially as scams continue to evolve. If you receive IRS Notice CP53E or any other IRS notices, feel free to contact Saltmarsh. It is important to verify their authenticity before taking action.
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