More on the South Carolina Department of Revenue Refund Debit Card

After posting our apparent scoop about the South Carolina state income tax refund prepaid Visa debit card program yesterday we received the following:

Columbia, SC — The South Carolina Department of Revenue (SCDOR) today announced that taxpayers will soon be offered a new method for receiving their individual income tax refunds.

For the 2012 individual income tax filing season, the SCDOR, working with Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Visa^®, will provide taxpayers with an income tax refund prepaid debit card in place of a paper check. The SCDOR Income Tax Refund Prepaid Debit Card is intended to eventually replace the printing and mailing of paper checks, saving the state of South Carolina significant costs in tax dollars and processing time.

South Carolina taxpayers will still have the option to designate direct deposit or to receive a paper check on their income tax return if they do not prefer a debit card.

“Through the SCDOR Income Tax Refund Prepaid Debit Card and direct deposit options, SCDOR aims to expedite the process in which individuals receive their income tax refunds. It is our goal to make this method as cost-effective and easy to use as possible for the South Carolina taxpayers,” stated Director Jim Etter.

With the SCDOR Income Tax Refund Prepaid Debit Card, the refund is delivered electronically to a unique prepaid debit card account created for the taxpayer. Card recipients may transfer the refund amount into their personal bank account just as they would deposit a paper check. The card is a particularly convenient option for taxpayers who do not have a traditional bank account.

Cardholders can conduct a variety of transactions without fees at Bank of America ATMs, online, over the phone and everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. Customer service is available from Bank of America 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If a card is lost or stolen, it will be replaced immediately at no charge, and cardholders are protected against any unauthorized or fraudulent charges.