Safeguard your refund - Choose Direct Deposit

From the IRS website tax tips page
  
Direct deposit is the fast, easy and safe way to receive your tax refund.
Whether you file electronically or on paper, direct deposit gives you access to
your refund faster than a paper check.

 Here are four reasons more than 80 million taxpayers chose direct deposit in
2012:

1. Security.  Every year
   the U.S. Postal Service returns thousands of paper checks to the IRS as
   undeliverable. Direct deposit eliminates the possibility of a lost, stolen or
   undeliverable refund check.
   
2. Convenience. With direct deposit, the
   money goes directly into your bank account. You will not have to make a special
   trip to the bank to deposit the money yourself.
   
3. Ease.  It’s easy to choose direct deposit.
   When you are preparing your tax return, simply follow the instructions on the
   tax return or in the tax software. Make sure you enter the correct bank account
   and bank routing transit numbers.
   
4. Options. You can deposit your refund into more than one account. With the split refund

      option, taxpayers can divide their refunds among as many as three checking or savings 
     accounts and up to three different U.S. financial institutions. Use IRS Form 
     8888, Allocation of Refund (Including Savings Bond Purchases), to divide your 
     refund. If you are designating part of your refund to pay your tax preparer, you 
     should not use Form 8888. You should only deposit your refund directly into 
     accounts that are in your own name, your spouse’s name or both if it’s a joint 
     account.

Some banks require both spouses’ names on the account to deposit a tax refund
from a joint return. Check with your bank for their direct deposit
requirements.


Check the instructions in your tax form for more information about direct
deposit and the split refund option. Helpful tips on both are also available in
IRS Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax. Publication 17 and IRS Form 8888
are available on IRS.gov or by calling the IRS at 1-800-TAX-FORM
(1-800-829-3676).