MARQUETTE, MI— The United Way of Marquette County’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program is reminding the community to plan ahead as the IRS moves away from issuing paper checks.
VITA Coordinator Karen Anderson says a significant number of clients request paper checks for their tax refunds. She wants to make sure people are not caught off guard — especially households that may not have traditional bank accounts.
If you usually get a paper check from the IRS, the United Way recommends you do three things before tax season even begins:
1. Open a checking or savings account at a local bank or credit union to ensure direct deposit access.
2. Confirm account information early — mismatched routing or account numbers are the most common cause of refund delays.
3. Be aware of other tax changes affecting 2025 returns which will all be addressed by VITA volunteers when preparing tax returns.
The VITA program, which offers free tax preparation to qualifying individuals and families, is currently organizing tax-prep sessions for this upcoming tax season.
More information is at www.uwmqt.org or by emailing kanderson@uwmqt.org.
