Turn The IRS Paper Check Phaseout Into a Trust-Building Opportunity

Did you read the headline? Starting September 30, 2025, the IRS is phasing out paper checks. Electronic payments is the standard with only limited exceptions. This shift is simple, the timeline is real, and how your firm responds is your choice: it can either ruin your day or open a dozen doors. If clients hear about this change first from headlines or social media instead of from you, someone else just earned the trust you wanted.

Who likes change? No one. It disrupts the familiar. The paper check routine - arriving in the mailbox, being held in the hand, and walking into a bank with a human teller. This had certainty. For some clients, the move to direct deposit breaks that sense of certainty.   

Our priority is not merely quoting rules; our job is to make new routines feel just as safe. Firms that succeed will understand that in moments of uncertainty, connection outweighs mere knowledge. The rule shift is merely the backdrop; the show is how we make clients feel as we guide them through this transition. 

The path to unforgettable service  

Design the client experience backward. Call your top clients and ask them: How do you want this to feel when your money arrives?  

The feeling of being “looked after” is the entire point. Offer a concierge setup. Perhaps test a one-dollar micro deposit. Confirm alerts on their banking app. Help them understand two-factor authentication (2FA) and its importance. Provide a handout explaining when funds typically post and how to read the bank line item. Follow up with them for their understanding and any further questions.  

To solidify this service, package the work effectively, using pricing that rewards decisiveness. You could call it your “Refund Readiness Package”. Have clearly defined tiers:  

1. 1. The Base Tier: Includes a bank information review, direct deposit enrollment support, and a fraud prevention checklist. 

2. 2. A MiddleTier: Adds real-time refund tracking texts and a guaranteed call from your team if the refund is delayed by more than 48 hours.  

3. 3. A Premium Tier: Offers one-on-one support for seniors and an off-cycle bank account setup for clients who are unbanked. 

Price each tier as a fixed fee to eliminate surprises. For early adopters enrolling before December 31st, create a limited-time offer. You are not charging for paperwork. You are charging for service, understanding and clarity.  

Expanding influence 

This policy transition also creates a disruptive opening with clients' employees. Hospitality businesses, seasonal retailers, and salons often have large groups of employees who rely on refunds as a cash flow bridge. Offer employers a free 30-minute briefing to their team on the phaseout and provide informational posters. The poster could include a QR code linking directly to a booking page for your services. Becoming the firm that solves a problem before it arises. You earn a seat at the table for quarterly planning, payroll, and bookkeeping. 

The service mindset 

This level of investment will take time, but the payoff is substantial. When clients feel connected and secure, they will talk about your service. You’ll create raving fans!  

Be like Disney. Disney trains every "cast member" to put the guest first and the process second. They replace a lost balloon on the spot or kneel down to a nervous child’s level to explain a ride. This requires permission to make the interaction magical. Apply this philosophy to your firm: Process keeps us consistent, but service makes us unforgettable.  

While electronic payment is the clear default, you must know the contours of the limited exceptions. Do not overpromise workarounds. If you are worried about the new workload, test the process rigorously. Dedicate a couple of weeks exclusively to calling refund clients, enrolling them, and updating bank information, using a quick dashboard (Excel, Sheets, or Notion) to track enrollments and test deposits.  

Finally, tell your story. Publish a post explaining the date, the 'why,' and precisely how your firm makes the transition easy. Lead with a plan and empathy. When you do, you turn a scary headline into a loyalty engine.  

Paper checks are going away. The policy is not optional. Your response is. Choose this opportunity to lead the conversation, deliver over-the-top service. Your clients will make you their first call when change happens.