PUBLISHED: MAY 2026 | TAX POLICY & ESTATE PLANNING As of September 30, 2025, a seismic shift occurred in American fiscal policy. Following Executive Order 14247, the IRS began its formal phase-out of routine paper refund checks. We moved into a "digital-first" era, where pixels replaced paper. But what happens when the digital trail goes cold? Specifically, what happens to the refund of a taxpayer who passes away before the money hits their account? There has been much concer