Info from http://turbotax.intuit.com/support/kb/tax-content/tax-tips/6255.html:
Why did it take TurboTax take awhile to explain that payment methods would affect how and when rebates arrive?
The law creating the tax rebates, the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008, was signed by President Bush on Feb. 13. As soon as details of the act emerged and could be verified, TurboTax updated customer articles about the rebates. The updates pointed out that customers using the payment method with Santa Barbara Bank & Trust could receive their rebates by mail rather than by direct deposit.
It was not until mid-March, however, that the IRS announced the rebate payment schedule. The schedule showed that rebates would be mailed in order of the last two digits of taxpayers’ Social Security numbers — BUT that direct-deposit recipients would get theirs first.
…So, if they knew about this in mid-March, why were the e-mail notices sent out MAY 16?