Every year the airwaves are flooded with advertisements promoting the ability of individuals to take advantage of their ability to get an income tax refund by quickly getting access to their funds. The product promoted is called an income tax refund anticipation loan.

What this amounts to is a short-term loan secured by the income tax refund due to be returned to a taxpayer. The types of loans are offered by tax preparation services that will prepare your tax return and provide the loan. The pitch is aimed at those in desperate need to obtain their refund funds as quickly as possible to meet critical expenses.