Tax Refund Cards - How to Get a Tax Refund Card

As we discussed in the previous sections of our guide to Tax Refund Cards, tax refund cards are actually just prepaid debit cards. Most reloadable prepaid debit cards can be used as tax refund cards.

Applying for a tax refund card is easy. You may need to provide proof of your identity and your address when applying for a card – but that’s all. There are no credit checks or any other information that you need to provide. Once you have been given or sent your prepaid card, you may need to activate the card by following the instructions from your card provider.

There are two primary ways to get a tax refund card.

First, you can get a prepaid card and activate it prior to preparing your tax return (or before your accountant or tax preparer completes and files your return). If you choose this route, you’ll have more cards to select from (basically, you can choose any prepaid debit card that allows you to direct deposit funds onto the card, which is almost every card). This option requires that you plan ahead, so that you have a card account opened prior to filing your tax return. If you choose this option, consider using a card that fits your expected usage.

In the next section of this guide (titled “Our Highest Rated Tax Refund Cards”) we give recommendations about several cards that you may want to consider. Once again, make sure you have your account opened prior to filing your tax return, as you will need to have your card’s routing and deposit account number when you fill out your tax return forms.

Second, if you use a tax preparation service or certain tax preparation software packages, you can get a tax refund card while you are filling out your tax return. This option requires no advance planning you apply for and get a card account set up as part of the process of preparing your tax return.

Check out the table in the section called “Our Highest Rated Tax Refund Cards” to see which cards you can get in this category.

Whichever way you choose to get a card, make sure that you review and understand the card terms and conditions so that you use the card properly (and in a way that avoids unnecessary fees). Check out GetDebit.com for tips and information about using prepaid cards.