Could My 2019 Tax Returns Help Get My Missing Stimulus Payment Any Quicker
Depending on your personal tax situation, the Recovery Rebate Credit for your missing stimulus money would either reduce the total amount you owe to the IRS or give you a larger tax refund.
If the IRS has your direct deposit information from a previous federal tax return, the agency will attempt to deposit your check in the bank account you provided. If you receive your tax refund by check in the mail, however, or if the IRS info or your bank information is out of date, the agency will send your refund in the mail. The IRS didnt accept direct deposit information for the $600 check, but you should consider registering a new direct deposit account with your 2020 tax filing.
What You Need To Know About Your 2021 Stimulus Check
OVERVIEW
In response to the challenges presented by Coronavirus , the government is taking several actions to bolster the economy, such as offering expanded unemployment, student loan relief, sending stimulus checks and more.
For information on the third coronavirus relief package, please visit our American Rescue Plan: What Does it Mean for You and a Third Stimulus Check blog post.
As Coronavirus continues to disrupt the U.S. economy, many have turned to the federal government for hope. To help provide relief in these unprecedented times, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act a $2 trillion stimulus package to help individuals, families and businesses was signed into law.
This relief will be taking many shapes over the coming months, such as:
- Widespread stimulus legislation, including efforts such as stimulus checks, mortgage relief for those adversely impacted by the economic slowdown, student loan interest relief, and more.
- The Federal Reserve has announced actions to stabilize and backstop the economy.
But how do some of these efforts work and who will they directly impact? Let’s take a look at the stimulus checks, how they work, who qualifies, how do you get one, and how your taxes will be affected.
Weeks And Weeks Of Irs Delays
Although the IRS says most refunds will be sent within 21 days, experts warn that delays are likely, noting that the agency is still working through 2020 tax returns.
During the 2020 budget year, the IRS processed more than 240 million tax returns and issued roughly $736 billion in refunds, including $268 billion in federal stimulus payments, according to the latest IRS data. Over that period roughly 60 million people called or visited an IRS office.
Donald Williamson, an accounting and taxation professor at American University in Washington, said he expects “weeks and weeks” of IRS delays in 2022. “My advice in 2022 is file early, get started tomorrow and try to put your taxes together with a qualified professional.”
Compounding the challenge, tax preparers told CBS MoneyWatch that it remains hard to reach IRS personnel on the phone. The IRS answered only about 1 in 9 taxpayer calls during fiscal year 2021, Collins reported. “Many taxpayers are not getting answers to their questions and are frustrated,” she noted.
“Back in the old days, you’d wait 5-10 minutes and get an IRS agent on the phone,” said Christian Cyr, a CPA and president and chief investment officer at Cyr Financial. But now, he said, his CPAs wait hours to speak with an IRS employee, with no guarantee of ever reaching one.
1. File electronically
“Paper is the IRS’s Kryptonite, and the agency is still buried in it,” National Taxpayer Advocate Collins said on Wednesday.
2. Get a refund via direct deposit
Recommended Reading: Irs Sending Letters About Stimulus 2021
Will You Have To Pay Taxes On Your Stimulus Checks
In response to the economic devastation caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Congress authorized a series of stimulus payments for Americans in 2020 and 2021.
As they were sent out in the midst of global upheaval, many Americans gladly accepted them without fully understanding the ultimate ramifications. The good news is that Congress sent out the payments with no strings attached. Heres what youll need to know when you file your return for tax year 2021.
Learn: What Can I Write Off On My Taxes?
Am I Eligible For The Recovery Rebate Tax Credit On My 2021 Return
The third stimulus check was an advance payment for the 2021 tax credit in response to COVID-19. If you received the full amount you are eligible for, you wont receive the new Recovery Rebate Credit when you file your tax return in 2022. But if you received less than you are eligible for, you can claim the tax credit.
For more information about this credit, read The 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit.
This article is up to date for tax year 2021 .
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How Do I Get My Stimulus Check
Stimulus checks will be based on information from your most recent tax filings, either tax year 2019 or 2018. If you have not filed your 2019 taxes, the IRS will use information from your 2018 tax return. The IRS will use your adjusted gross income information in the most recent tax return filed to determine the amount of your stimulus payment and will deposit your stimulus payment based on the latest direct deposit information. If your tax return does not indicate a direct deposit account, you will receive a paper check.
If you are not required to file and you dont receive Social Security income or Supplemental Security Income you can provide the IRS with the information they require to issue a stimulus payment using TurboTax Stimulus Registration Product.
First And Second Stimulus Check
You will need to file a tax return for Tax Year 2020 . The deadline to file your taxes this year was May 17, 2021. The tax filing extension deadline is October 15, 2021.
If you missed the filing deadline, you can still file your tax return to get your first and second stimulus checks. If you dont owe taxes, there is no penalty for filing late. If you owe taxes, you may be subject to penalties and fines for not filing or not paying taxes. The government may reduce your tax refund to pay for any taxes you owe and other federal and state debts.
To learn more about your options if you think you owe taxes, read Filing Past Due Tax Returns and What to Do if I Owe Taxes but Cant Pay Them.
Also Check: Is There A New Stimulus Package
Myth : I Will Have To Pay Back The Stimulus Check Next Tax Season
Assuming all of the information on your tax returns is correct, you will not repay the check next spring.
You may even receive more money when you file your 2020 taxes. While the checks are based off of your 2019 or 2018 returns to get you money now, they are technically credits for 2020 taxes, per the Tax Foundation. If it turns out that you should receive a larger credit based on your 2020 adjusted gross income , then you will receive the difference next year. If a taxpayers income drops in 2020, they will be eligible for any remaining rebate credit they were not able to claim using their 2019 or 2018 return, writes the Tax Foundation.
On the other hand, you will not be penalized by the IRS if your 2020 AGI is higher than this years, according to the Tax Foundation. If the amount of a credit a taxpayer qualifies for in 2020 is less than it was based on their 2019 return, it does not have to be paid back.
All You Need To Know Is Yourself
Answer simple questions about your life and TurboTax Free Edition will take care of the rest.
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Estimate your tax refund andwhere you stand
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Know how much to withhold from your paycheck to get
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Estimate your self-employment tax and eliminate
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Know which dependents credits and deductions
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Estimate capital gains, losses, and taxes for cryptocurrency sales
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See which education credits and deductions you qualify for
The above article is intended to provide generalized financial information designed to educate a broad segment of the public it does not give personalized tax, investment, legal, or other business and professional advice. Before taking any action, you should always seek the assistance of a professional who knows your particular situation for advice on taxes, your investments, the law, or any other business and professional matters that affect you and/or your business.
Recommended Reading: What If I Haven’t Received My Stimulus Check Yet
Do You Have To Pay Taxes On Stimulus Checks No And Heres Why
Tax season has rolled around once more, but this year many filers are contending with an unusual source of income: stimulus checks.
More than 150 million Americans received at least one stimulus check in 2020 to help blunt the blow of the pandemicmany received a $1,200 check early in the year, and a $600 check in December.
But now, many Americans might be concerned those checks could turn into a tax bill.
“Were seeing a tremendous amount of questions and uncertainty from people this year around what different life changes or working or income changes mean their taxes,” Andy Phillips, a director at The Tax Institute at H& R Block, tells Fortune. “A common question is, ‘What do the stimulus payments mean to my taxes?'”
To provide clarity and dispel misconceptions, Fortune set out to answer the biggest tax questions surrounding stimulus checks.
When Should I Get My Payment
The IRS was given hard and fast deadlines to send the two rounds of Economic Impact Payments out to American families. The first round of payments had to be sent out by . The second round had to be sent out by .
What this means: If you have not received the first or second round of payments yet, then you will not be getting them in advance. The good news is that you can still do something to get these payments. Read below.
Read Also: How To Qualify For Stimulus Check 2
Select Your State To Begin The Process Of Filing Your Taxes With Turbotax
Ultimately, the amount of your Recovery Rebate Credit is based on your income and the number of eligible dependents on your 2021 taxes. If your income has dipped from the amount on your 2020 tax return and/or if you added a new dependent to your family in 2021, you may be able to claim additional stimulus money when you file your taxes this season.
Heres when the Recovery Rebate Credit may apply:
- Your income has dipped: If youre a single filer who earned more than $80,000 in 2020 but less than that amount in 2021, you may be eligible for a $1,400 credit. Similarly, if you earned between $75,000 and $80,000 in 2020 but made less than that on your 2021 return, you could receive partial credit similar to plus-up payments just in the form of a tax credit.
- You have a new child or dependent: The IRS says that if you had a baby in 2021 and claim your child as a dependent on your 2021 tax return, youll be eligible for a credit of up to $1,400. Likewise, if youve added another dependent which could be a grandchild, parent or other qualifying relative you may be able to claim up to a $1,400 credit per person.
The credit will either reduce your tax bill or go toward your refund, the IRS says, and it will not be issued as a separate check.
How To Claim A Stimulus Check On Taxes
If your 2020 tax return shows you made too much to qualify for this third stimulus check, you may not get a payment now even if you lost your job or income in 2021. However, because these IRS payments are technically an advance on a 2021 tax credit, if your adjusted gross income in 2021 ends up being under the limit or you have another tax dependent, you might be able to claim the tax credit when you file your 2021 tax return .
If you were eligible for the first two stimulus checks but never received them or didn’t receive the full amount, you have another chance to file for a stimulus check by claiming the Recovery Rebate Credit on line 30 of form 1040 on your 2020 tax return . Page 58 of the instructions for form 1040 has a worksheet to help you calculate how much to claim.
Recommended Reading: Are We Getting A Third Stimulus
What You Need To Do If You Get The Notice
But for those who have received the letter from the IRS and are wondering what they should do, be aware it’s important to act.
If you do not respond within 60 days of receiving the notice, the adjustment is final and the IRS can start collections.
Additionally, youll lose the right to file a petition in the U.S. Tax Court.
However, there might be an exception to this, as this process has been messy.
More than 5million taxpayers were sent a math error notice last year without the 60-day language being included.
As a result, the IRS resent some letters with clear language, and is restating the time you have to respond.
Because of the unusual situation, its unclear how the IRS will act but the agency has explained online that a penalty could kick in for filers who owe money in general.
The failure-to-pay penalty is equal to one half of one percent per month or part of a month, up to a maximum of 25 percent, of the amount still owed, the IRS said.
The penalty rate is cut in half to one quarter of one percent while a payment plan is in effect.
Meanwhile, Mrs Brummond said there was nothing in the “bill” that allows for a penalty if you got an extra stimulus payment.
Your Federal Stimulus Check May Be Taxable On Your State Return Even When Its Not
Many farmers and other taxpayers received a $1,200 personal stimulus payment in 2020 and a $600 payment in 2021.
For federal income tax purposes, this is not considered taxable income and most states will also considered it not to be taxable income. However, there is a gotcha. Most states allow you to either deduct all or a portion of your federal income taxes that you owe.
Since the stimulus payment is considered a credit against your income tax, it will reduce the amount of federal income tax allowed on your state income tax return.
This means that even though it is not considered income for state income tax purposes, it will still increase your state income taxes in most states.
The increase is likely fairly minor, but you should be aware that the federal tax deduction is after the credit including the amount you just received in 2021. If the $1,400 additional credit gets put into law you will have the same type adjustment when you file your 2021 income tax return.
Also Check: Stimulus Check For Released Inmates
First Economic Impact Payment Questions And Answers Topic J: Reconciling On Your 2020 Tax Return
Q J1. Will I need to provide information about my Economic Impact Payment to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on my 2020 tax return?
A1. Yes. Refer to the notice you received regarding your first Economic Impact Payment. These notices were mailed to each recipients last known address within 15 days after the first payment was made.
If you did not receive the first payment or did not receive the maximum amount, you may be eligible to claim the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit when you file your 2020 tax return.
Q J2. Is the payment includible in my gross income?
A2. No, the payment is not includible in your gross income. Therefore, you will not include the payment in your taxable income on your federal income tax return or pay income tax on your payment. It will not reduce your refund or increase the amount you owe when you file your 2020 federal income tax return.
A payment also will not affect your income for purposes of determining eligibility for federal government assistance or benefit programs.
Q J3. I received an Economic Impact Payment. Do I need to pay back all or some of the payment if, based on the information reported on my 2020 tax return, I dont qualify for the amount that I already received?
For example, you received $500 for your child who, based on your 2018 or 2019 tax return, met the qualifying child requirements. That child turned 17 in 2020 and no longer meets the qualifying child requirements. You will not be required to pay back the $500.
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.
Read Also: How Do I Sign Up For A Stimulus Check
Who Qualifies For A Stimulus Check And How Much Will I Receive
According to the IRS, approximately 80% of Americans will be eligible to receive full or partial stimulus payments through the CARES Act. If you have an adjusted gross income of up to $75,000 , you should be eligible for the full amount of the recovery rebate.
For tax filers with income above these amounts, the stimulus payment decreases by $5 for each $100 above the thresholds. The stimulus check rebate completely phases out at $99,000 for single taxpayers, $136,500 for those filing as Head of Household and $198,000 for joint filers with no kids. Your eligibility will be based on information from your most recent tax filings .
Use our Stimulus Check Calculator to see if you qualify and how much you can expect.