When You’ll Receive Your Payment
The final date to qualify has already passed for filers other than those with pending ITINs. If you have already filed, you don’t have to do anything.
If you have not received a payment by now, you will most likely receive a paper check. In addition, if you did not receive a refund with your tax return or owed money at the time of filing, you will receive a paper check.
Payments will go out based on the last 3 digits of the ZIP code on your 2020 tax return. Some payments may need extra time to process for accuracy and completeness. If your tax return is processed during or after the date of your scheduled ZIP code payment, allow up to 60 days after your return has processed. Please allow up to three weeks to receive the paper checks once they are mailed out.
Last 3 digits of ZIP code | Mailing timeframes |
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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.
Not Everyone Will Get A Third Stimulus Check See If You’re On The List Of People Who Aren’t Eligible For A Third
Millions of Americans have already received a third stimulus check . But if nothing has shown up in your bank account or mailbox yet, it might be because you’re not eligible for a third payment. Some people may have gotten the impression that everyone is entitled to a third stimulus check. Unfortunately, that’s just not the case.
There are a few reasons why you could be left without a third stimulus check. It could be because of your income, age, immigration status, or some other disqualifying factor. Here’s a list of people who won’t be getting a third stimulus check from Uncle Sam. Hopefully, you’re not on the list and you’ll get a nice payment soon especially if you’re one of the millions of Americans struggling financially because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Read Also: Will I Get My Second Stimulus Check
Problems With Temporary Account Deposits
In the case of stimulus check deposits in error into temporary accounts such as those provided by tax preparation companies at the time the 2019 return was filed, the IRS indicated that they are taking corrective action to redirect the payments to the correct accounts.
Some recipients may have directed their payment to the temporary bank account set up when their 2019 tax return was filed. The IRS and tax industry partners are taking immediate steps to redirect stimulus payments to the correct account for those affected. The IRS anticipates that many additional taxpayers will receive payments following this effort, the IRS states on the website.
The IRSs solution for claiming any economic stimulus payment due is to claim it through a Refund Recovery Credit on your 2020 tax return.
You Had A Lifestyle Change In 2020 That Wasnt Reflected In Your 2019 Taxes

A lot can change in a year, and its very possible the IRS didnt have enough up-to-date information accurately reflecting your financial situation.
A few circumstances that could qualify you for more money: You had a baby in 2020, or adopted or fostered a child. Less common, say you share joint custody with a child but only rotate that responsibility every other year. You might be eligible for extra money by filing for a credit, and there are instances when your former spouse might pocket extra money as well.
Say I filed with Susie Q. in 2019 and I got the stimulus checks for that child, and then my divorced spouse filed with Susie Q. for 2020. She would get the Recovery Rebate Credit as well, says Mark Jaeger, director of tax development at TaxAct. Its a little bit of double dipping, but it is something that is allowed.
Additionally, maybe you got married or divorced. Perhaps you graduated college and started working, meaning youre no longer considered a dependent. And, as is likely the case for millions of Americans, perhaps you had a higher-paying job in 2019 but lost that position in 2020. Even individuals who were working in 2019 but retired in 2020 could be eligible for the credit.
These are just a sampling of circumstances that might mean youre eligible for a stimulus check or a higher amount.
Theres a lot of reasons why you may be due more that are all legitimate, Steber says. Its real money, and its a lot of money.
Also Check: When Can Social Security Recipients Expect The Stimulus Check 2021
Is My Second Stimulus Check Taxable
The IRS does not consider stimulus checks taxable income. This means that you do not have to report them on your tax return or pay income taxes on either check.
Eligible recipients who did not get the first or second stimulus checks can claim a recovery rebate credit to increase their tax refund or lower their tax liability. So if you are expecting to get money back on your 2020 tax return, your refund could get a big boost depending on how much stimulus money the government owes you.
And comparatively, if you expect to owe taxes on your 2020 return, then you can use your recovery rebate credit to offset your tax bill and get a refund for the remaining amount.
Many taxpayers this year are looking to their tax refunds to get extra money for their finances. For reference, the average tax refund in 2020 was more than $2,500. The IRS expects over 150 million tax returns to be filed this year.
The 2021 tax season will begin on February 12. And taxpayers will need to file their 2020 returns by April 15.
What Should I Do If I Can’t Find My Letter
If you don’t receive Letter 6475 , you can find the information on your stimulus payments on your IRS account. If you don’t have one set up, you can create an ID.me account on the IRS website to verify your details.
For more, here’s what to do with that IRS letter for your child tax credit payments and how to file your taxes on your phone.
Read Also: Update On 3rd Stimulus Check
What Do I Do With Letter 6475
Hold onto it until you or your tax preparer are ready to file your 2021 federal return, then use the amount shown on your Recovery Rebate Worksheet to determine if any credit applies.
“Having the wrong amount on your return could trigger a manual review,” according to the H& R Block website, which could delay a refund for weeks.
How To Claim The Recovery Rebate Credit
If you did not receive your first or second stimulus payment, or if it was for the wrong amount, you’ll need to file a tax return for the 2020 tax year . You’ll file Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR . You’ll need your Notice 1444, Your Economic Impact Payment from the IRS when you file. You should have gotten your first Notice 1444 sometime last spring or summer, and you should have gotten your second one in February 2021. You’ll need the amount of the payment in the letter when you file your tax return in 2021.
If you don’t receive your third stimulus payment, or if it was for the wrong amount, you’ll need to file a tax return for the 2021 tax year . You’ll file Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR . You’ll need your Notice 1444, Your Economic Impact Payment from the IRS when you file. You’ll need the amount of the payment in the letter when you file your tax return in 2021.
You can take the Recovery Rebate Credit for any rebate amount that is more than the economic impact payment that you received by completing line 30 of Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR. The instructions for Form 1040 and Form 1040-SR include a worksheet you can use to calculate the amount of the credit you are eligible for.
Recommended Reading: How To Collect Stimulus Check
What Should You Do If You Havent Gotten Your First Check
While many are searching for evidence of their second stimulus checks, some people havent even received their first. The IRS continued to make these payments until Dec. 31, 2020, but if you still dont receive one, or dont receive the full amount, youll want to claim it via the Recovery Rebate Credit when you file your 2020 taxes.
Clear Your Doubts To Know Wheres My Second California Stimulus Check
To qualify for the second Golden State Stimulus, you should have filed your income tax returns for 2020, with October 15 last year being the deadline.
You must also have a CA AGI between $1 and $75,000 for the financial year of 2020. For the stimulus check, you must also have been a resident of California for over half of the tax year 2020.
You must also be a resident of California on the date the stimulus check is issued by the administration. Finally, you must not have been claimed as a dependent by another taxpayer.
To be declared a dependent, you must be a qualifying relative or a qualifying child. If you have not qualified for Golden State Stimulus II, be may have qualified for the first round of the payments.
As the final date of the filing has passed on October 15 last year, only those with pending ITIN can file. You do not have to do anything if you have filed your tax returns by that date.
But if you still feel that you need to know where my second California stimulus check is, you should first check if your payment is not coming in through the US postal service in the form of a paper check. That seems most likely if you have not received a refund with your tax return.
Payments will start going out on the basis of the final 3 digits of the postal ZIP code. Some payments will need more processing time for completeness and accuracy.
If you have met all the requirements of the Golden State Stimulus II, this is how much you can expect from the state.
Read Also: Did Not Receive Third Stimulus Check
What To Do If One Of The Three Stimulus Checks Hasn’t Arrived
About 15 days after the IRS sends out your check, you should receive a letter from the agency confirming the payment. When the first round of stimulus checks went out last year, that letter included two hotline phone numbers because thousands of agents were available to help. But with the second and third rounds of checks, the IRS changed its tune, and these phone numbers may be disconnected.
Here are common scenarios that might indicate you need to look into your stimulus payment:
- If you’re one of the millions of people who qualified for the first stimulus check but never got it.
- If your second stimulus check has still not arrived.
- If you got a letter from the IRS saying your third check was sent, but never received the payment. Or, if the IRS Get My Payment portal said your payment was sent, but you didn’t get it.
- If you got some of your stimulus money from any payment, but not all of it.
You should also confirm you’re qualified to get the stimulus payment, since not everyone who received a previous check is qualified this time. If you think it’s time to take action, read for more options.
You Havent Received Your Second Stimulus Payment Yet

Many people will receive stimulus payments by direct deposit, according to the IRS. If you paid 2019 federal taxes via direct debit or received a tax refund by direct deposit, you will likely receive your second stimulus payment the same way. The majority of these payments have already been issued. If the IRS does not have your correct, up-to-date banking information, youll receive payment by mail or debit card .
Social Security or other beneficiaries who use Direct Express cards and received the first round of stimulus on that card can expect the same this time. Otherwise, payment will come by mail.
Generally, you can expect to receive your payment in the same form you received the first stimulus payment under the CARES Act in early 2020. But thats not the case for everyone. If the IRS is unable to make a direct deposit, your payment may be sent by mail. And if your first stimulus payment arrived via paper check, you could receive a debit card this time, and vice versa.
The best way to track how and when youll receive your stimulus payment is with the IRS Get My Payment tool. This tool can tell you when your payment was sent and whether itll arrive via direct deposit or mail.
And while Jan. 15 is the IRS deadline, you may not actually receive payment by that date. After your payment reports as mailed on the Get My Payment tracker, it may take up to three or four weeks to receive the check or debit card, the agency says.
Also Check: Irs Stimulus Check Address Change
Havent Received Your Second Stimulus Check Request A Payment Tracking From The Irs
If you have not received the second stimulus check, you must do this action to find out what happened to it. There are several reasons why the second stimulus check may not have reached you.
If you should have received it, but havent yet, you may need to contact the IRS to request a Payment Tracker to trace that money.
You should request a Payment Tracker if the Get My Payment tool shows that your payment was issued, but you have not received it within the following time frames:
-5 days from the date of deposit shown in Get My Payment and if your bank says it has not received it.-4 weeks from when it was mailed to your home address.-6 weeks from when it was mailed and you have a forwarding address on file at your local post office.-9 weeks since it was mailed and you have an overseas address.
To request a Payment Tracker, you must call the IRS at 800-919-9835 or mail or fax a completed Form 3911. Find out where to mail or fax that form in the state where you live on the IRS website.
Note that you should not send in a Form 3911 if you have already requested a telephone tracing. And you should not request a Payment Tracking to determine if you are eligible for a check or to confirm the amount you should receive.
Will My 2020 Tax Return Affect My Payment Amount
In some cases, yes. If youre entitled to a larger payment based on your 2020 tax return compared to your 2019 return, you will be eligible to receive the difference as a tax credit. If you lost your job or saw your income drop this year during the pandemic, this situation may apply to you. But you wont see any additional funds via a tax credit until 2020 returns are filed this spring.
If the stimulus payment you are due is lower based on your 2020 income, you get to keep the higher payment that was sent to you based on your 2019 return.
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What Is A Recovery Rebate Credit
The IRS has lots of different rules, regulations and terms that make things confusing for filers, but pay no attention to the man behind the curtain: The Recovery Rebate Credit is simply just another name for your stimulus check. And if you were one of the lucky Americans who received two EIPs with no problems, you technically just received an advance of that Recovery Rebate Credit.
Americans can claim that credit by filling out a new, special section on their 2020 Form 1040 or 1040-SR if theyre a senior. That also goes for taxpayers who normally dont have to file a tax return, according to the IRS.
But rest assured: Receiving a stimulus check wont come back to bite you. The IRS says that the credit will only increase the amount you receive as a tax refund or decrease the amount you owe, rather than subtract from the refund youre entitled to. Your stimulus check also isnt considered taxable income.
When Will I Get The Payment And What Can I Do If I Dont Get It
The IRS is sending the third round of payments out to American families, but we are not sure how long this will take. We believe the IRS will continue to send the third round of payments until December 2021. Because this third round of stimulus is actually an advance payment of a tax credit for tax year 2021, you should be able to claim this credit on your 2021 tax return if you do not get it by the end of 2021.
Read Also: Latest Update On Stimulus Check
You Might Not Get Your Payment By Jan 15
Use the IRS Get My Payment tool to track the status of your payment. If you receive a Payment Status #2 Not Available notice, you should prepare for a longer wait: your payment will likely not be processed by Jan. 15.
Instead, youll need to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2020 tax returns. If you end up owing money on your 2020 taxes, it will reduce the amount you owe, Cagan says. If you get a refund, youll get a bigger refund. If you have zero income, youll just get the full amount back.
There are several reasons why your payment may not arrive, but here are a few common issues: