Income tax refund check after death?

Income tax is not like the last Social Security check that may or may not be taken back depending on when the person died.
The refund will come and most likely it will be direct deposited or if it is a check it will come to the address. (checks will take longer than direct deposit)

I wouldn't worry unless you don't see it by next Monday.

We have the postal service send us an email that has a picture of mail we are supposed to get today and it is very common that we don't see it for days. Kinda shoots the point of the emails in the foot. We signed up to know if our mail was being stolen and we still can't keep track of it.

I am sorry for your loss. I pray that you are granted grieving mercies and strength during this difficult time. Great big warm hug!

You reside where I grew up and most of my family still lives there.

Las vegas? Really? You dont hear of too many people from las vegas. Thank you for thinking of me and my dad. Both of my parents are gone now and i still keep coming here for advice. Thanks again. I hope you are safe during this awful virus thats taken over everything that we call normal. I sit here in my house now all alone and wonder and wonder and wonder. Sometimes the tears dont stop til its time for bed. And then you start wondering again. I need to snap out of it. Its hard when this has been my life for sooo long. I just got the last insurance check today and im all set for a while so now what? I wish i could just talk to them one more time.... thanks again, deb

It's only 2 days past the April 4 expected date, and I'm sure the IRS is being slowed down if some of its employees are ill with the Coronovirus.    I've found that tax checks often come on a Saturday, apparently timed so that they arrive when people are more likely to be home.

That makes sense gardenartist. Im sure im in a panic for nothing. Ill be more patient. I just have a funny feeling that im going to have to start all over and come up with things i dont have, like documentation besides a death certificate. I want to avoid a lawyer if at all possible. My father hired a lawyer to redo his living trust after my mom died and he charged a crazy amount of money. Dont want to make him more money now.

The check becomes part of his estate.

I hope you have a good relationship with his bank. When my dad died, they only agreed to deposit a couple of checks made out to him before they had to insist they be re-cut to his estate instead. No attorneys needed to be involved but it was a pain to wait for the new checks to arrive.

With luck, your dad opted for direct deposit, and it won't be an issue.

Sorry for your loss. Hopefully it'll all work out, it is probably just delayed by current situation (reduced staff and now they have to process all these special payments to everyone.)

Since you were POA (that ends at TOD) and trustee/beneficiary (hopefully that means executor, since you say you're the only one left), there should be no problem processing the check, once it arrives. If he had any assets left, those should be moved to an estate account and the refund check can be deposited there.

It's hard when we lose someone we care about, especially when you've been the one providing care and for so long. It's even harder being locked in. Hoping you can find some activity to have a few good minutes here and there in your day. The tears will come, that is just natural. It hasn't been long, so your feelings are still very raw. Hoping you also have someone to reach out to, by phone, or some app. If all else fails, we are here for you.

I found the following web video online that might help give you a few moments of happiness:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5pgG1M_h_U

Or go to YouTube and enter "Some Good News with John Krasinski Ep. 1"

There is a second Ep as well, which should show up in the list, or process when Ep 1 finishes. He started this so we could have GOOD news to make our day a little brighter. It made for some smiles for me. Hope everyone else can find this helps, even just a little bit! Hint, the second one includes a rendition of Hamilton. Wasn't really into the whole Hamilton hype, but it made a little girl's day (and many of those who watched!)

You should eventually get a check , he filed for 2019 . My husband died in January , an our tax guy filed us a couple . My husband , your dad filed for the year , when they were living , and will get a refund .Good luck .

I still have gotten nowhere with the irs. I dont know what to do. If you try calling the irs they day they arent taking any phone calls. I just dont know what to do.

DCurnan, I think I'd step back a bit and give the IRS a chance to get caught up.    In my experience getting a refund w/I a few months after filing hasn't yet happened to me in normal times, and these are far from normal times.    The IRS, probably like many other organizations, is shorter staffed, overwhelmed and struggling to cope.

There's another possibility:  did you correct the errors he made after he died, and if so, did you sign as his Trustee?  If so, that may trigger the need for file the Form 1041 for Trusts, as well as the form 1310 to request a refund on behalf of a deceased person.   

I think I'd step back a bit and give the IRS at least another few weeks if not a month or so.

I will be in your shoes next year. We managed to get mthr's taxes filed early this year - hers are usually in by the last extension date in Oct. I think this is why the IRS gets almost all of her state pension upfront, as she never paid her taxes on time. However, hospice has told us it won't be long, so I had a fire under me to get her return in so we could deposit her refund before we have to turn it into a probate account. Her refund check is already deposited. She's still here so I'm sure we will have to do something about 2020 taxes and I guess refunds. Taxes are not my dream job and figuring out the process after her passing is not my favorite either. You have my sympathies Dcurnan.

I would not get stressed. With the stimulus checks and the extension for filing 2019 everything is topsy turvy at the IRS. They are doing the best they can.

One thing that I know for a certainty, your status as of December 31 is all they care about. Living, deceased, married, single, dependents what it was on 12/31 is the determining factor for how they respond.

Sending in a corrected return does add another step to the process, especially if you benefit from the corrections.

Be patient and find something to occupy your time during this difficult time. Double whammy for you making it even more challenging. You will get through this, we all will. Patience is the key and the hardest to have when dealing with the IRS, they are so unpredictable.

Gardenartist, to answer your question it was a simple mistake. It didnt put the correct gross income. So when it was refused i just fixed it through turbotax and that was it. It was after he died and i didnt think to put trustee on there. I was honestly just hoping it was going to be quick and easy just like every other year. But of course nothing is easy. And im ok for money right now so i will hear from them eventually i figure. I just dont want them to think i was hiding something because i wasnt. I just fixed the mistake and sent it on its way. I cant let it bother me. Its bad enough being alone all day and night.

Dcurnan, I think an inference of hiding something in gross income might have been inferred if the error hadn't been corrected, but it has.    I don't know what IRS could do in this case; you fixed the problem.

I suspect also that they're overwhelmed and aren't going to be nit picking returns, so, as you write, just live your life and sooner or later the return will be processed.

I notice that mail delivery seems to be slowing as well; postal workers may have contracted CV and delivery is slowed down.

Periodically I only get mail delivery 3x weekly, and that's started again...although I would gladly not receive those annoying "I wanna buy your house!" postcards.

Just about everything, including taxes is even more complicated in a covid world now. You're likely holding up pretty well considering all you must deal with at this moment in your life. The IRS will eventually get to your father's tax return, so you shouldn't have to contact anyone else at this point. Now, if you can print out the "Where's My Refund" confirmation (or delay) I would print it and keep with his other important papers just in case some surprise request from an entirely different entity is sent your way.

It's not unusual to be asked to show proof you're acting upon, waiting upon, or have already fulfilled someone's request. So, a printout, though really not required, may be exactly what someone you would never think of wants for his/her own security blanket when performing the job. (Their own version of CYA).

Consider setting up an online check-in schedule for yourself if there is lots to go through with your father's estate. Maybe go online every 60 days for the IRS, Social Security & similar entities. 15 or 30 days for all banking or insurance issues. I did this with a lot of things when dealing with my mom and spouse as it's enough to drive one crazy.
I really feel for you having to navigate during covid since it's harder to reach any real person/s for help. Remember if any of these entities really need to hear from you, they will contact you and let you know there is a problem. Then you can move forward with the problem.