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The Netspend Liberty Tax Prepaid Mastercard gives you direct access to your tax refund without requiring a bank account, but you can only get the card if you file your return at a Liberty Tax office.
Up to $4.95
Monthly maintenance fee
From $0
Signature transaction fee
From $0
PIN transaction fee
Card type | Prepaid |
---|---|
Card network | Mastercard |
Monthly fee | $4.95 |
Monthly fee (pay-as-you-go plan) | $0 |
Signature transaction fee | $0 |
Signature transaction fee (pay-as-you-go plan) | $1 |
PIN transaction fee | $0 |
PIN transaction fee (pay-as-you-go plan) | $1 |
Review by
Michael Benninger is a staff banking writer at Finder. He is a former credit analyst and longtime freelancer whose articles have been published by Intuit, Business Insider and the Los Angeles Times. Michael is passionate about all facets of personal finance and has written hundreds of articles about money management during the past decade.
The Netspend Liberty Tax Prepaid Mastercard makes sense if you don’t have a bank account and want direct access to your tax refund without being required to deposit a check. However, you must file your taxes as a Liberty Tax office to get this card.
But if you already have a bank account, it may be easier to get your tax refund or future stimulus payments deposited straight to your existing checking account.
There are two plans to choose from:
Pay-As-You-Go plan | Monthly Plan | |
---|---|---|
Plan fee | $0 | $4.95 per month |
Per purchase | $1 | $0 |
ATM withdrawal | $2.50 | $2.50 |
Cash reload | $3.95 | $3.95 |
ATM balance inquiry | $0.50 | $0.50 |
Live customer service (per call) | $0 | $0 |
Inactivity (after 90 days w/no trans) | $5.95 per mo. | $5.95 per mo. |
Teller withdrawal (OTC at financial inst.) | $19.95 | $19.95 |
You must file your taxes at a Liberty Tax location to get a Netspend Liberty Tax Prepaid Mastercard. Here’s how to make an appointment at the office nearest you.
To receive a Netspend Liberty Tax Prepaid Mastercard, you must meet these requirements:
If you meet the above eligibility requirements, have the following information handy:
Like most prepaid cards, you can get paid up to two days early if you set up direct deposits to your Netspend Liberty Tax Prepaid Mastercard. There are also a few other benefits you can take advantage of.
The Netspend Liberty Tax Prepaid Mastercard also has a few drawbacks you should keep in mind.
Netspend is not accredited by the BBB, but it has an A+ rating based on 2,144 complaints in the last three years. Yet, according to 262 customer reviews on the BBB’s website, Netspend has an average rating of just 1.1 out of a possible five stars. Of the 43 reviews on Trustpilot, Netspend has an average rating of 1.8 out of 5.
None of the reviews we found specifically relate to the Netspend Liberty Tax Prepaid Mastercard. Instead, most of the reviews mention Netspend’s poor customer service and misleading claims by the company.
Yes. The Netspend Liberty Tax Prepaid Mastercard includes Mastercard ID Theft Protection, which provides detection and protection against identity theft, including monitoring, alerts and expert resolution. The card is also FDIC insured up to $250,000 through the Republic Bank & Trust Company.
See how other prepaid cards stack up based on fees, features and ATM networks.
You’ll receive a temporary Netspend card immediately after completing your tax return at a Liberty Tax office. You’ll then receive a Netspend card within seven to 10 business days. Typically, your tax refund will be applied to your card within 21 days of filing your return, but this isn’t always the case.
Once you receive your Netspend Liberty Tax Prepaid Mastercard, you can use it in several ways.
There are several ways to load cash onto your card.
Economic impact payments. Use this card to receive any future economic impact payments.
There are a few different ways to contact Netspend if you have questions about your account.