Youre Not Sure About Eligibility
Payments being sent out this month are largely based on the most recent tax returns the IRS has available, for 2019. The amount you receive as an initial payment will be based on that data, though you may be eligible for more.
Eligible individuals with an adjusted gross income under $75,000, heads of household under $112,500, and married couples filing jointly under $150,000 are eligible for the full $600 payment. After that, payments phase out with reduced payments up to $87,000 in income for individuals, $124,500 for heads of household, and $174,000 for married couples filing jointly. Children under 17 claimed on 2019 federal tax returns each qualify for an additional $600, while children 17 and older and adult dependents are not eligible.
Even if you dont typically file tax returns, you can still receive your stimulus payment. It wont be issued automatically, but you can get it in the form of the Recovery Rebate Credit when you file your 2020 taxes.
In fact, anyone who believes they didnt receive the full payment for which they are eligible can reconcile the lost amount as a Recovery Rebate Credit on 2020 federal tax returns using Form 1040, the basic form most people will use when they file taxes.
What Are Economic Impact Payments
In late December 2020, the Internal Revenue Service and U.S. Treasury Department announced they began delivering a second round of stimulus payments as part of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021. Most payments have been delivered in January by direct deposit, or by check or debit card delivered by the U.S. Postal Service.
According to its announcement, The IRS emphasizes that there is no action required by eligible individuals to receive this second payment. Some Americans may see the direct deposit payments as pending or as provisional payments in their accounts before the official payment date of Jan. 4, 2021. The IRS reminds taxpayers that the payments are automatic, and they should not contact their financial institutions or the IRS with payment timing questions.
What Is The Amount Of The Second Stimulus Check
The new COVID relief spending package allots direct checks for $600 per person. That’s half the amount of the stimulus checks sent shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic began last year. The House of Representatives passed legislation to increase the checks to $2000 on , and that measure is still waiting on a vote in the Senate. Analysts say the bill likely doesn’t have the support it needs to become law, so expect to receive the $600 laid out in the initial package.
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Why Did I Receive A Debit Card
The IRS issued millions of debit cards to taxpayers in lieu of second stimulus checks, but will be sending out fewer debit cards out for the third payment. The prepaid Visa debit cards, issued by MetaBank, are called Economic Impact Payment cards. Your EIP card will arrive in a white envelope with “Economic Impact Payment Card” in the return address. You’ll need to activate the card by calling the phone number that comes with the card and choosing a 4-digit PIN number.
You can use your EIP card for purchases or use it to withdraw cash . You can also transfer the funds from your EIP card directly into your own bank account, after you register for online access.
If you use the card wisely, it will be free, but there are some fees to be aware of. If you use an out-of-network ATM or a bank teller to withdraw cash, you may need to pay a fee, and if you check the balance of the debit card, at either an in-network ATM or an out-of-network ATM, you will be charged a small fee.
The IRS has announced that the vast majority of taxpayers should receive their third stimulus payment by direct deposit this time.
When Is My Stimulus Check Coming
Most people who qualify for a payment and filed their 2019 tax return can expect to get their stimulus check by January 15.
However, payments for taxpayers who filed through online providers TaxAct and Jackson Hewitt and used a refund-transfer program similar to the ones offered by H& R Block and TurboTax will be delayed until February 1, according to statements from the companies.
On January 8, the IRS said more than 100 million payments had already been direct-deposited into bank accounts.
Paper checks started going out in the mail on December 30, but could take up to three to four weeks to arrive. In the first week of January, the IRS began sending out debit cards loaded with stimulus payments to an additional 8 million households.
The new stimulus legislation requires the IRS and the Treasury to stop sending payments by January 15. If your payment has not been issued by that date by direct deposit, paper check, or prepaid debit card you can claim the amount you’re owed on your 2020 taxes.
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How Much Will I Get
The rules are the same as with the first round for this one. If you have an adjusted gross income of $75,000 or less, youll get the full amount.
Its the same for a married couple filing jointly who made a combined $150,000 in 2019.
If you made more, the stimulus amount gets progressively lower.
The Irs Get My Payment Tool Says Your Check Was Mailed Or Deposited But You Didnt Get It So Now What
Many 13News viewers say the IRS portal indicates their check was mailed on Jan. 6, yet they have not yet seen a payment.
We can verify your stimulus money might still be on the way. The IRSs website says if the Get My Payment tool shows your payment was mailed, it may take up to three to four weeks for you to receive it. The agency isnt saying WHY it could take that long, but it advises to watch your mail carefully for a check or a debit card.
According to IRS.gov, if you checked GMP on or after Jan. 5 and:
- GMP reflects a direct deposit date and partial account information, then your payment is deposited there.
- GMP reflects a date your payment was mailed it may take up to three to four weeks for you to receive the payment. Watch your mail carefully for a check or an EIP debit card.
See below for more information on what to do if you dont get your payment soon.
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When And How Will I Get My Payment
The IRS will calculate and automatically send eligible recipients the economic payments via direct deposit, paper check, or prepaid debit card. The direct deposit payments may take several days to post to individual accounts. The Treasury Department and IRS are sending paper checks and prepaid debit cards to eligible recipients through January 2021. Mailed payments will require more processing and mailing time. Those who reside abroad may have longer wait times for checks as disruptions to air travel and mail delivery in some countries may slow delivery.
Where’s My Stimulus Check
You can check the status of your stimulus check using the IRS’s “Get My Payment” tool, which updates once a day. It will show you how your money is being sent and also confirm whether your first stimulus check was sent.
However, there are some people who will not be able to access the “Get My Payment” tool at this time: some people who receive federal benefits, and people who didn’t file a tax return or use the nonfilers tool to register for the first stimulus check.
If you get a “not available” status message, the IRS says you’re either not eligible for a second stimulus check or you are eligible but will not be paid right now. You might also see that message if you filed your 2019 tax return using H& R Block or TurboTax and paid the fees out of your refund. Both tax providers said these issues have been resolved, and qualifying taxpayers should see the payments in their bank accounts soon if they haven’t already.
Keep in mind that several banks offer early direct deposit, which typically applies to your paycheck, but may extend to your stimulus check.
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Who Qualifies For The Second Stimulus Check
The IRS has set AGI limits to determine taxpayer eligibility. The ranges for the second stimulus check are broken down as follows:
- Individuals with AGI of $75,000 or less qualify to get the full $600 second stimulus check. Individuals making more than $75,000 and up to $87,000 receive a reduced amount.
- Heads of household with AGI of $112,500 or less qualify for the full $600, and those making over $112,500 and up to $124,500 get a reduced amount.
Note that the second stimulus checks also provide an additional $600 payment for every qualifying dependent under the age of 17. So if you filed your taxes as a married couple with three children, you could get up to $3,000.
Currently, theres no limit on the number of dependents that you can claim as long as they are within the age requirement and you claimed them on your tax return. But keep in mind that if you claimed your child as a dependent and they are over age 17, you are not eligible to receive $600 extra on your stimulus check. Your child does not qualify for a stimulus check of their own either.
The table below breaks down payments by AGI level for single and joint filers:
| Second Stimulus Checks for Single and Joint Filers |
| Single AGI |
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 December 31, 2020. The second round had to be sent out by January 15, 2021.
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.
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Find Out Which Payments You Received
To find the amounts of your Economic Impact Payments, check:
Your Online Account: Securely access your individual IRS account online to view the total of your first, second and third Economic Impact Payment amounts under the Economic Impact Payment Information section on the Tax Records page.
IRS EIP Notices: We mailed these notices to the address we have on file.
- Notice 1444: Shows the first Economic Impact Payment sent for tax year 2020
- Notice 1444-B: Shows the second Economic Impact Payment sent for tax year 2020
- Notice 1444-C: Shows the third Economic Impact Payment sent for tax year 2021
Letter 6475: Through March 2022, we’ll send this letter confirming the total amount of the third Economic Impact Payment and any plus-up payments you received for tax year 2021.
You will need the total payment information from your online account or your letter to accurately calculate your Recovery Rebate Credit. For married filing joint individuals, each spouse will need to log into their own online account or review their own letter for their half of the total payment.
Contacting The California Franchise Tax Board
Providing immediate relief for families & small businesses hit hardest by the pandemic.2/3 of Californians will get Golden State Stimulus checksMore $ directly into the pockets of small biz owners, helping them re-hire workers displaced by the pandemic.
Office of the Governor of California
The CFTB can be contacted through three main methods for any taxes or Golden State stimulus checks.
Phone
Representatives can assist California residents from 8 AM to 5 PM Pacific Time, Monday to Friday at 800-852-5711. For those residing outside of the US, 916-845-6500 can be used.
Chat
By signing into yourMyFTB account, you can chat with representatives from the CFTB, weekdays between 8 AM to 5 PM.
Requests can also be handled through the mail. Those wishing to send questions, documents, or any other communications to the CFTB can address their correspondence to:
Franchise Tax Board
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Who’s Eligible For The Stimulus Check
THERE is certain criteria that must be met in order to claim your second stimulus check.
You could be entitled to a payment if the following is true:
- You are not a dependent of another taxpayer
- You have a Social Security number valid for employment
Your adjusted gross income must also not exceed:
- $150,000 if married and filing a joint return
- $112,500 if filing as head of household or
- $75,000 for single applicants
For earnings above this amount, payments will shrink by $5 for every $100 earned.
It means they will be phased out completely at $87,000 for individuals and $174,000 for couples filing jointly.
Children under 17 years old will also receive the same $600 payment as adults, but “child dependents” who are 17 years old will not.
It will tell you how much your total second stimulus check should be, how it’ll be paid, if there’s a delay, and more.
If your check has been issued, the Get My Payment tool will also show you the date it was sent.
To use to the tool, you’ll need to add your Social Security number or individual taxpayer identification number and date of birth.
You also need to provide your street address as well as the ZIP or postal code.
If you receive the message “payment status not available” once you’ve verified your identity, this is usually due to two common reasons.
It may be because you didn’t file a 2019 tax return, or you did file and your return hasn’t been processed yet.
H& r Block Turbotax Problems
Intuit’s TurboTax on Tuesday also tweeted that some customers were having problems receiving their stimulus checks. “The IRS announced yesterday that due to the speed at which they issued this second round of payments, they sent some payments to an account that may be closed or no longer active,” the tax-prep service said.
The IRS said checks sent to closed or inactive accounts can’t by law be held by the financial institutions and redirected to consumers. Instead the funds will be returned to the IRS, and people who didn’t receive a check must wait until they file their 2020 tax returns to get the stimulus money in a refund. Because of that, it’s likely that those customers will face a delay.
Some customers responded on social media that they had panicked after failing to receive their funds as expected, with some expressing concern they had been a victim of fraud.
Meanwhile, the IRS said on Monday that the direct deposits could take “several days” to post to individual accounts after the official payment day of January 4. It added that some people may see their stimulus checks listed as pending or as provisional payments in their accounts.
Here’s what to know about tracking your payment.
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Check If You Qualify For The Golden State Stimulus Ii
To qualify, you must have:
- Filed your 2020 taxes by October 15, 2021
- Had a California Adjusted Gross Income of $1 to $75,000 for the 2020 tax year. For this information refer to:
- Line 17 on Form 540
- Line 16 on Form 540 2EZ
- Had wages of $0 to $75,000 for the 2020 tax year
- Been a California resident for more than half of the 2020 tax year
- Been a California resident on the date payment is issued
- Not been claimed as a dependent by another taxpayer
- A dependent is a qualifying child or qualifying relative. Go to FTB Publication 1540 for more information about a qualifying child and qualifying relative
To receive your payment, you must have filed a complete 2020 tax return by .
If you dont qualify for GSS II, you may qualify for GSS I.
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.
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