You received money from the IRS today likely because of a tax refund from an overpayment, a corrected tax return, an Economic Impact Payment (stimulus), or an advance Child Tax Credit, often appearing as "IRS TREAS 310" in your bank, though specific reasons depend on your tax situation and recent filings. To confirm, check your bank's deposit details or your IRS account for "Where's My Refund?", or look for official IRS notices about adjustments or credits.
It could be: A refund from a filed tax return, including an amended tax return or an IRS tax adjustment to your tax account – this will show as being from the IRS (“IRS TREAS 310”) and carry the code “TAX REF.”
When an unexpected IRS refund is received, by far the most common reason is an estimated tax payment that was paid was omitted from the tax return. Somewhat less common is when federal tax withholding is understated on the tax return. There can be other reasons, but tax payment errors are the usual cause.
As to why you received it, either your return was filed this way, a preparer added it after, a mistake was made by an employee (not likely for this amount,) or very rarely another taxpayer banks where you do and happened to enter your account number by accident when filing a return and it was deposited to you.
You likely received $1400 from the IRS today as a supplemental payment for the 2021 Economic Impact Payment (EIP3), specifically the Recovery Rebate Credit, for people who missed it by not claiming it or leaving it blank on their 2021 tax return. These are "plus-up" payments for those eligible for the third stimulus but didn't get the full amount, often for dependents or due to income changes, with a deadline to claim it by April 2025 by filing a 2021 return if you hadn't already.
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (American Rescue Plan), enacted in early March 2021, provided Economic Impact Payments of up to $1,400 for eligible individuals or $2,800 for married couples filing jointly, plus $1,400 for each qualifying dependent, including adult dependents.
Check the status of your stimulus check on the IRS Get My Payment website.
Internal Revenue Service. "IRS Announces Special Payments Going This Month to 1 Million Taxpayers Who Did Not Claim 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit; Encourages Non-Filers About Approaching Deadline to Claim Credit." Internal Revenue Service.
You likely received a U.S. Treasury check without explanation due to an IRS tax adjustment, an offset resolution, a delayed interest payment on a prior refund, or another government payment, but you should verify it through IRS.gov or USA.gov to confirm authenticity and the reason, as it could be a legitimate correction or even a scam. Log into your IRS account or check your account transcript for details, as they often send explanations separately or after the fact.
An erroneous refund is defined as "the receipt of any money from the Service to which the recipient is not entitled." This definition includes all erroneous refunds regardless of taxpayer intent or whether the error that caused the erroneous refund was made by the IRS, the taxpayer, or a third party.
Refunds can happen for a variety of reasons, including changes in income, adjustments to your withholding, or eligibility for refundable tax credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit.
Find out why you received a check from the government
Look up the authorizing agency directly and contact them to find out why they sent the payment. Verify that the check is legitimate: Use the Treasury Check Verification System to confirm that the check you received is legitimate and issued by the government.
A. The IRS encourages taxpayers to discuss the issue with their financial institutions because they may need to close bank accounts. Taxpayers receiving erroneous refunds should also contact their tax preparers immediately. There are established procedures they should follow to return erroneous funds.
2025 Updates and New IRS Features
Additionally, while previous tax refunds sometimes included stimulus payments related to pandemic relief, these payments have been phased out in 2025. Therefore, if you see a deposit labeled “IRS Treas 310” today, it is almost certainly solely from your tax refund.
If you receive an IRS notice or letter
We may send you a notice or letter if: You have a balance due. Your refund has changed. We have a question about your return.
Unexpected Checks or Payments
If you receive an unexpected IRS refund check or direct deposit payment, this could be a red flag. The IRS typically does not issue refunds without prior communication. You can verify your status by logging into your IRS account on their official website.
If you receive an unexpected check, don't cash it. You could be liable if it's fraudulent. Legitimate companies do not overpay and ask you to send back the difference. Be wary if communication is only happening through social media or messaging apps, as reputable businesses typically use professional channels.
If you paid more through the year than you owe in tax, you may get money back. Even if you didn't pay tax, you may still get a refund if you qualify for a refundable credit.
The 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit includes up to an additional $1,400 for each qualifying dependent you claim on your 2021 tax return. A qualifying dependent is a dependent who has a valid Social Security number or Adoption Taxpayer Identification Number issued by the IRS.
IRS is moving away from sending paper refund checks for most taxpayers. The change will improve security, speed up refunds and lower costs.
The legislation will give single adults who reported adjusted gross income of $75,000 or less on their 2019 tax returns a one-time check for $1,200. Married couples who filed jointly will receive $2,400. Families will get an additional $500 for each child under 17.
Yes, the IRS announced in late 2024 it would send up to $1,400 to about 1 million taxpayers who missed claiming the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit (third stimulus payment) by automatically issuing payments via direct deposit or paper check, using 2023 tax return info, with most expected by early 2025; eligible individuals who didn't receive these funds might still get them if they filed a 2021 return by the April 15, 2025 deadline. These payments were for those who didn't receive the full third stimulus or didn't claim the credit, with amounts depending on income, filing status, and dependents.
While speculation about a fourth stimulus check has surfaced on social media and unverified websites, there has been no official confirmation from Congress or the IRS to support this claim and any such news should be taken with caution as it could be misinformation or attempted fraud.