Don't take a check from the government. They bounce.

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That's not exactly true, at least not yet. But one year they did have a problem with a number of IRS refund checks bouncing. It was back in 95 or 96 I think. The bad part is that now there is not one bank that will cash a tax refund check. While it's true that if you already have an account, checking or savings, you can have it deposited but it's not as easy to open a bank account these days as it used to be. Plus you can't open one with a tax refund check. Most people, I assume get their refund deposited on a debit card so they don't have to worry about it. However if you make a mistake inputting the account or routing number for the debit card on your return it will be denied by the card company and then IRS will have to send you a check. When I do my taxes I usually split my refund to two cards. The bulk goes on one and a thousand dollars goes on the second one. That gives me a fall back position if I need it. Unfortunately, this year I made that mistake with the numbers on the fall back card so now I have in my hands an actual paper check for one thousand dollars and I can't get it cashed. I don't have a picture ID or a social security card because they got destroyed in a house fire. Trying to get either one without the other is a catch 22 situation. The few places that know me and would cash the check can only cash it if it is under a thousand dollars. My friend who has banked here for many years was going to cash it for me but the bank said first I would still have to have my ID and when they found out it was a government check they refused outright. They were even shocked that IRS sent an actual check. So, I'm not broke. I have a thousand dollars. But I can't do anything with it.