(JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.) – Taxpayers now have the option to get a state refund in the form of a debit card.

State Treasurer Clint Zweifel recently announced that the new refund option is for taxpayers who file individual income tax returns or Property Tax Credit claims.

This is the first year the Department of Revenue has offered the refund debit card, according to a news release. To receive the card, taxpayers will need to check the “debit card” box located on the refund line of their 2012 income tax return or PTC claim.

After the card is received in the mail, the recipient must activate it by phone or online, and a Personal Information Number or PIN must be created.

Benefits of the debit card include no check cashing fees, no bank account is required and access to the funds is available 24 hours a day, according to the news release. Taxpayers can use the refund card for free for purchases and to get cash back with a purchase anywhere a Visa Card is accepted.

UMB, MoneyPass and Chase ATMs may all be used to access cash without fees. One free withdrawal is allowed at other ATMs, but an ATM surcharge may apply. The card is issued by JP Morgan Chase of New York.

Other refund options for taxpayers include a paper check mailed to a taxpayer and electronic direct deposit into a bank account of a taxpayer receiving a refund.

More information about the refund debit card can be found at www.dor.mo.gov.