Us Citizens Not Residing In The United States
U.S. citizens who filed Form 1040-PR or Form 1040-SS in 2019 are not eligible for payments. These include some residents of the U.S. Virgin Islands , Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico . However, residents in those U.S. territories may still be eligible if they filed a Form 1040 or 1040-SR.
Conversely, most U.S. citizens who live overseas and filed U.S. taxes in 2018 or 2019 can receive a stimulus payment. They must also have an SSN and fall within the income and other criteria. Some expats arent required to file a return. If so, the IRS will use the information on their most recent Form SSA-1099 or Form RRB-1099 to determine where to send the check.
Will People Receive A Paper Check Or A Debit Card
For those who dont receive a direct deposit by early January, they should watch their mail for either a paper check or a debit card. To speed delivery of the payments to reach as many people as soon as possible, the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, part of the Treasury Department, will be sending a limited number of payments out by debit card. Please note that the form of payment for the second mailed EIP may be different than for the first mailed EIP. Some people who received a paper check last time might receive a debit card this time, and some people who received a debit card last time may receive a paper check.
IRS and Treasury urge eligible people who dont receive a direct deposit to watch their mail carefully during this period for a check or an Economic Impact Payment card, which is sponsored by the Treasury Departments Bureau of the Fiscal Service and is issued by Treasurys financial agent, MetaBank®, N.A. The Economic Impact Payment Card will be sent in a white envelope that prominently displays the U.S. Department of the Treasury seal. It has the Visa name on the front of the Card and the issuing bank, MetaBank®, N.A. on the back of the card. Information included with the card will explain that this is your Economic Impact Payment. More information about these cards is available at EIPcard.com.
How Do I Get It
- The stimulus payments will be processed by the IRS.
- If you have already filed a 2019 tax return, you will get the stimulus payment automatically. You will receive it in the same form as your tax refund. If you requested direct deposit, then the stimulus will be direct deposited. If you requested a paper check, then the stimulus will be mailed to the same address on your 2019 tax return.
- If you entered your information into the IRS non-filer portal earlier in 2020, you will get the stimulus payment automatically. You do not have to do anything.
- If you receive one of the following benefits, you will get the stimulus payment automatically. You do not have to do anything.
- Social Security
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Who Receives A Stimulus Check Payment
If you fall within the Adjusted Gross Income thresholds shown below and have a Social Security number, you are eligible for each economic impact payment. Those who do not qualify for payments include non-resident aliens, dependents, and estates/trusts.
The amount of payment or credit you qualify for depends on your Adjusted gross income and the number of qualified children with a Social Security Number or Adoption Tax Identification Number you can claim.
For 2020, youll qualify for up to $1,800 in credits for yourself and qualified dependents can increase the amount youre eligible to get by up to $1,100 per qualified dependent . Unfortunately, adult dependents didnt qualify for the first and second stimulus payments.
For 2021, youll qualify for $1,400 in advance credits for yourself and qualified dependents will increase the taxpayers EIP by $1,400 so far. However, adult dependents do qualify the taxpayer to receive additional amounts on the third check.
You can see a detailed breakout of the income limits here:
- Estimate your third stimulus amount with H& R Blocks Stimulus Check Calculator
If I Receive Social Security Or Supplemental Security Income When Will I Receive My Economic Impact Payment

Date: November 18, 2021
The Internal Revenue Service has paid EIPs to Social Security beneficiaries and Supplemental Security Income recipients.
If you did not receive all the EIP amount you think you and your family are eligible for that was provided in the American Rescue Plan, you should file a 2021 Federal tax return in 2022 to claim the amount you are owed.
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I Used The 2020 Irs Non
Most likely, the IRS wasnt able to process your 2019 tax return or the information you submitted to the IRS Non-filer tool in time to issue your second stimulus check.
All second stimulus checks were issued by January 15, 2021. If you didnt get a second stimulus check by then , you can claim your second stimulus check as the Recovery Rebate Tax Credit on your 2020 tax return or use GetCTC.org if you dont have a filing requirement.
Receiving Your Stimulus Payment From The Irs
Most people do not need to take any action. The IRS will calculate and automatically send the stimulus payments to those who are eligible.
- If the IRS has your banking information on file from your last tax refund, your payment will be deposited directly into that account.
- Eligible recipients who do not have a bank account on file with the IRS will likely receive a paper check.
- The IRS has stated that those with Direct Express will receive payment on their debit card.
- Most Social Security retirement and disability beneficiaries, railroad retirees and those receiving veterans benefits do not need take any action to receive a payment, and you can expect to receive the benefits in the same way you are normally paid.
- For eligible people in this group who didnt receive a payment for any reason, they can file a 2020 tax return.
For more information about the stimulus checks, the IRS will post key information on IRS.gov/eip.
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Families With Itins Eligible For Stimulus Checks
When the first round of stimulus checks, known as the Economic Impact Payment, were issued in 2020 families who filed a joint tax return were not eligible if one spouse had an Individual Tax Identification Number instead of a Social Security Number . This left many families out, especially those families with one spouse a citizen of the U.S. but married to a foreign immigrant who only has an ITIN. In this case, neither spouse was eligible for the payment nor the additional $500 payment per child. What about those families living in the U.S. and paying taxes for years but not able to benefit from the stimulus? Well, congress finally sympathized with these families when coming up with the second relief package of 2020.
For those who are eligible to receive payment and do not receive checks, you may be able to get the payments when filing your 2020 tax return through the recovery rebate credit. Please consult a qualified tax professional for advice. This information is general in nature and should not be relied on. For more information and resources on COVID-19, see our coronavirus page.
Jill A. Helm, CPA
How Do You Track Your Payments
You can check the status of your stimulus payment on IRS.gov using the Get My Payment tool. If you receive the notice Payment Status Not Available, it indicates one of the following situations:
- The IRS does not have enough information
- Your payment has not been processed yet
- Youre not eligible for a payment
If you believe you are eligible for a payment, check the Get My Payment tool over the coming weeks, as the IRS continues to process payments.
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Payments Are Automatic For Eligible Taxpayers
Payments are automatic for eligible taxpayers who filed a 2019 tax return, those who receive Social Security retirement, survivor or disability benefits , Railroad Retirement benefits as well as Supplemental Security Income and Veterans Affairs beneficiaries who didnt file a tax return. Payments are also automatic for anyone who successfully registered for the first payment online at IRS.gov using the agencys Non-Filers tool by November 21, 2020 or who submitted a simplified tax return that has been processed by the IRS.
Special Cases For Parents Or Couples Recently Estranged
Its important to check if you fall into one of the following special cases who wont receive a payment. These include some parents and married couples who were recently separated.
- Parents who owe back child support may have their payment garnished.
- Trusts set up for children or dependents wont receive a stimulus payment.
- Some parents who arent married and split custody of their children may take turns claiming them on their taxes. Only the parent who claimed the child as a dependent on their taxes is eligible for the $500 stimulus payment.
- The payment adds another tension to those who were recently divorced or estranged. The $2,400 will be deposited into whichever bank account was associated with the most recent tax return. The non-filing partner must contact the filing partner to ask for their share.
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What About People With Itins
You still need a work-authorizing Social Security Number to be eligible for this stimulus. However, there are important changes since the first round of stimulus checks.
- In the first stimulus rollout, any non-SSN holder on a joint return made everyone on that return ineligible. Big change: The new rounds of stimulus has corrected this problem. If you filed a joint return with a non-SSN holder, you are still eligible for the stimulus. See the below hypotheticals.
- Situation: A single tax filer has an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number but no Social Security number .
- This person is ineligible for the stimulus.
Does The Irs Count Me As A Us Citizen

The IRS considers anyone born in the US to be a US citizen, regardless of the tax or immigration status of their parents. A person born outside of the US may also be a US citizen at birth if at least one parent is a US citizen and has lived in the US for a period of time.
The IRS also considers you a US citizen if you’re over 18 and went through a naturalization process, which typically involves living in the US for three to five years, filling out an application, going for an interview and passing a citizenship test. You’ll need a Certificate of Naturalization or Certificate of Citizenship to prove your citizenship and get a Social Security number to be eligible for a stimulus check of your own .
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I Have More Questions About My Situation How Can I Get Help
Vermonters with a low income can contact us at the Vermont Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic by filling out our form or calling 1-800-889-2047.
Video: Second Round of COVID Economic Impact Payments/Stimulus Checks. Watch the video on On January 7, 2021, attorney Zachary Lees of Vermont Legal Aid’s Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic discussed who is eligible to get the stimulus payments and how they will be sent out. He also answered COVID-related tax questions.
When Is My Stimulus Payment Available
While many second stimulus checks are populating in bank accounts already, these payments are provisional or pending until the official date of payment on Jan. 4, 2021. This delay may seem unnecessary, but the official date in January ensures everyone receives their stimulus checks during the 2021 tax year.
To speed the delivery process along, the Bureau of Fiscal Service, a division of the U.S. Treasury will send out a limited number of payments by debit card. While direct deposits are already turning up, checks and debit cards sent by mail will take substantially longer to process and arrivethe IRS and Treasury Department say that Get My Payment will be updated to reflect the date that your check or debit card was mailed, and it typically takes up to 14 days for you to receive the payment.
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When Will Stimulus Payments Be Sent
Your stimulus payment may already be on its wayor you may have already received it. On March 12, the IRS announced that the $1,400 stimulus check will reach Americans within the week.
The first payments were sent by direct deposit and were scheduled to arrive on March 17. The IRS will continue to send additional batches of direct deposits, as well as mailing checks and debit cards, over the next several weeks.
When Will I Receive The Second Stimulus Payment
The IRS is already delivering stimulus funds. Some individuals have already received theirs via direct deposit. And more funds go out each day. If you have direct deposit information on file with the IRS, they will deposit funds directly into that account. If you dont have current direct deposit information on file with the IRS but who are eligible, a check or a debit card will be sent by mail. You can claim the Economic Impact Payments on your 2020 tax return in 2021 if you are eligible but dont receive them.
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Eligibility Details For Noncitizens And The $1400 Stimulus Payment
The CARES Act made a Social Security number a requirement for that first stimulus payment. Though other proposals would’ve expanded the eligibility to those with an ITIN instead of a Social Security number because they’re classified as a resident or nonresident alien, this group was excluded in the final bill text that authorized a second stimulus check in December as well.
The new bill expands the qualifications to include all mixed-status families — where at least one member has a Social Security number — for a third check.
The definition of a child dependent didn’t change with a second stimulus check, but it does with the third.
Income Limits For Stimulus Checks
You are ineligible for stimulus payment if you earn more than the income limit. That applies to anyone whose reported adjusted gross income for tax years 2018 or 2019 was at least:
- $99,000 for individuals and married couples filing separately
- $136,500 for heads of household
- $198,000 for married couples filing jointly
You will receive a reduced payment if your income is lower than the limit, but above the following thresholds:
- $75,000 for individuals
- $112,500 for heads of household
- $150,000 for married couples filing jointly
You may still qualify for the stimulus payment if your income falls below the limits in 2020. Youll just need to claim the payment as a tax credit on your 2020 tax return when you file in 2021.
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Get The Information You Need
The stimulus guide includes an FAQ section for understanding important info, including:
- Who is eligible to receive a stimulus check?
- How will the IRS determine income for the stimulus payment?
- How much money you will receive.
- Will the stimulus money be considered income that has to be claimed on taxes?
- How will you get the stimulus payment?
- The stimulus checks impact on other benefits or if debts are owed to other agencies.
How To Check Your Stimulus Check Payment Status

The IRS offers a Get My Payment tool in English and Spanish to check the status of both the first and second stimulus checks. The tool is currently offline for updates, but is anticipated to be available within a few days.
Keep an eye on the status of your payment to determine when and how your payment will arrive.
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What If I Didn’t File Taxes For 2018 Or 2019
If you’re a US citizen living abroad or a citizen of a US territory and didn’t file taxes for 2018 or 2019 but are eligible for a stimulus check under the CARES Act or the December stimulus package, you can claim that money now in the form of a Recovery Rebate Credit on your tax return from the IRS. Even if you don’t usually have to file taxes, you’ll need to this year to claim that money.
This credit would either increase the amount of your tax refund or lower the amount of the tax you need to pay by the amount of stimulus money the government owes you on the first and second payments. Find out more about how to claim a missing stimulus payment here, as well as everything you need to know about how your taxes impact your stimulus payment.