IRS Tax Refunds February 17: New CP53E Rule Risks Weeks-Long Delays

The IRS tax refund season now carries a new risk: weeks-long delays if your direct-deposit details are wrong. The agency is phasing out most paper checks and will freeze refunds that cannot post, sending a CP53E notice until you confirm banking info. That pause can stretch up to six weeks if you do not respond. We explain how to avoid delays, track your status fast, and what later refunds could mean for Q1 consumer spending.