The article made it seem like it was for living expenses at one point which are typically monthly things? Perhaps they just got lazy and kept the same mechanism

The article made it seem like it was for living expenses at one point which are typically monthly things? Perhaps they just got lazy and kept the same mechanism going. It doesn't matter if it's lump sum or monthly to the IRS, as you indicate. Other potential reasons: - Banks do this for free via their web apps and it's easy to set up. Other services charge for larger one-time fees / wire transfers - SWIFT tracking if that's a factor? - A 28K one-time check would require branch access. Typically anything at a smaller dollar level is OK and under the monthly limit / single-check limit. If you don't live near a branch this is helpful (though one-time exemptions are relatively "easy" to negotiate. - Returns / payouts on capital might generate this cash on a monthly basis?