How To Change Your Bank Account For Stimulus Check

If You Are A Social Security Recipient

The Treasury previously announced that if you are a Social Security recipient who typically is not required to file a tax return, you will automatically receive your stimulus payment directly to your bank account without having to file a tax return as long as the IRS has your direct deposit information.

My Bank Account Has Changed Where Will My Stimulus Money Go And How To Change It

Is this about getting another stimulus check?

Your banking information cannot be changed after your tax return has been filed and accepted.

Banking information does not go from TT to the IRS until you file your 2020 tax return and it is accepted. The IRS will begin to accept and process 2020 returns at the end of January 2021.

You enter/change banking information in the FILE section before you file your 2020 return. Changing it on the TurboTax site does not do any good until you file your return and the IRS processes your return. If they manage to start sending out stimulus checks before you can change your information, we hope the IRS provides a way for you to change it with the IRS but they did not allow it for the first stimulus check see FAQ below from the IRS.

If your check goes to a wrong or closed account, it will be sent back to the IRS and then the IRS will mail a check to the address on your tax return.

The address you used on your 2019 return is what the IRS has at this time. If you need to change it with the IRS:

Bank Account Information

No. To help protect against potential fraud, the tool does not allow people to change direct deposit information already on file with the IRS.

Your banking information cannot be changed after your tax return has been filed and accepted.

Do I need to do anything to get my stimulus check?

Avoid Scams Targeting Your Stimulus Payment

Criminals this year have turned their attention to stealing stimulus payments. Much of this stems from identity theft, whereby criminals file false tax returns or supply other bogus information to the IRS to divert refunds to alternate addresses or bank accounts.

Be sure to read Coronavirus stimulus payment scams: What you need to know, in which the FTC outlines to following four key points to help you avoid a scam:

• Only use irs.gov/coronavirus to submit information to the IRSand never respond directly to a call, text, or email.
• The IRS wont contact you by phone, email, text message, or on social media with information about your stimulus payment, or to ask you for your Social Security number, bank account, or government benefits debit card account number. Anyone who does is a scammer phishing for your information.
• You dont have to pay to get your stimulus money.
• The IRS wont tell you to deposit your stimulus check and send them money back because they paid you more than they owed you. Thats a fake check scam.

Report scams to the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov/complaint.

About the Author

Richard D. Harroch is a Managing Director and Global Head of M& A at VantagePoint Capital Partners, a venture capital fund in the San Francisco area. See all his articles and full bio on AllBusiness.com.

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What If I Receive A Paper Stimulus Check

If you receive an Economic Impact Payment in the form of a paper check through the mail, a fast and safe way to deposit your money is with mobile check deposit.2 We encourage you to download the U.S. Bank Mobile App and use this free service.

Weve increased mobile deposit limits for many customers and removed the restriction on government checks to make it easier to deposit other checks, such as paychecks and Social Security payments, from home.

You Used Turbotax’s Or H& r Block’s Refund Transfer

During the last rollout of stimulus checks in January, the IRS erroneously sent stimulus payments to holding accounts at TurboTax’s and H& R Block’s partner banks. These accounts are used when a customer opts into refund transfer, meaning they give the company permission to take its fees out of their refund before sending the refund to their bank account.

Both TurboTax and H& R Block said they provided the IRS with the correct bank accounts for customers this time around, so the mishap shouldn’t happen again but it’s not guaranteed.

In any case, if a payment bounces back to the IRS then it will be re-sent in the mail as a paper check or prepaid debit card.

Also Check: What’s Included In The New Stimulus Package

File Your Taxes Now If You Need To Claim Missing Stimulus Money

We recommend filing your taxes as early as you can, and setting up direct deposit with the IRS when you do. Not only will doing both of those things help you get your tax refund with that missing stimulus money faster, but it will also make you more likely to receive your third stimulus check sooner, especially since it’s on track to get passed during tax season. Here’s how to track your tax refund after you file.

Get Your Refund Faster: Tell Irs To Direct Deposit Your Refund To One Two Or Three Accounts

• Fix/Correct a Return

Eight out of 10 taxpayers get their refunds by using Direct Deposit. It is simple, safe and secure. This is the same electronic transfer system used to deposit nearly 98 percent of all Social Security and Veterans Affairs benefits into millions of accounts.

Combining direct deposit with electronic filing is the fastest way to receive your refund. IRS issues more than 9 out of 10 refunds in less than 21 days. Taxpayers who used direct deposit for their tax returns also received their economic impact payments quicker. You can track your refund using our Wheres My Refund? tool.

Direct deposit is easy to use. Just select it as your refund method through your tax software and type in the account number and routing number. Or, tell your tax preparer you want direct deposit. You can even use direct deposit if you are one of the few people still filing by paper. Be sure to double check your entry to avoid errors.

Dont have a check available to locate your routing and account number? A routing number identifies the location of the banks branch where you opened your account and most banks list their routing numbers on their websites. Your account number can usually be located by signing into your online banking account or by calling your bank branch.

Direct deposit also saves you money. It costs the nations taxpayers more than $1 for every paper refund check issued, but only a dime for each direct deposit made.

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Some Can’t Update Banking Information

Some people have run into issues updating their bank account information with the IRS.

Ryan Deckard, who lives in Pittsburgh, received the first payment, but he never got a second one after the Get my Payment tool showed an account that was no longer active for him.

When tax season kicked off this year, he filed his 2020 return with TurboTax on the first day Feb. 12 to make sure his bank account information was updated with the IRS. He claimed the Recovery Rebate Credit to get his second payment.

When he went online to check the status of his third relief check, his old account information still showed up on the agencys website.

Ive been in the throes of a meltdown. Im tired of going to bed hungry, said Deckard, 33, an unemployed author.

Why cant I change my banking information? The government shouldnt be blindly sending money to closed bank accounts, Deckard said. It seems like the people who need the money most cant get it.

When A Stimulus Check Goes To A Closed Bank Account

If, on the other hand, the account was closed, you have little reason to worry though your payment will be delayed. According to the Internal Revenue Service, if a stimulus payment goes to an account that is closed, the bank will reject the money. Then, the Internal Revenue Service will look at the mailing address it has on file so the check can be sent by mail instead.

The agency is also required to send you a letter in the mail within 15 days, providing information on how the Payment was made and how to report any failure to receive the Payment.

But it would be worth your time to contact your bank and ensure that the check was in fact rejected. Then, go back into the Get My Payment portal to make sure your mailing address is up to date.

Also Check: Irs Stimulus Check 3 Calculator

How Long Does It Take To Update Bank Account With The Irs

After submitting your new bank account information, the new bank account will be on the IRS database immediately. However, if your refund was sent to the previous account, youll receive it in that account. But, if the account is closed, the funds will be returned back to the IRS, and thats when you may need to contact the agency to ask them to forward back the funds to the updated bank account.

Because receiving your refund or other funds can take time, we highly suggest updating your bank account information with the IRS prior to filing your federal income tax return. If sudden events make you change your bank account after filing your federal income tax return, contact the IRS via phone and it will be sorted out even if the refund is already sent.

What Do I Do If I Havent Gotten My Stimulus Payments Yet

For EIP1, simply claim the Recovery Rebate Credit when you file your 2021 tax return.

For EIP2, wait to claim the RRC until you are outside of the timeframes below:

• 5 days since the deposit date
• Before February 24, 2021 for mailed payments

If you claim the missing amount before the windows above are complete, keep in mind that the IRS will adjust your refund if it shows that you both received the stimulus money and claimed it on your return, and this will delay processing your refund because your return will be routed through IRS error corrections. That delay could be 1 to 2 months but may be shorter.

If it has been longer than the timeline above, you should follow the steps shown in Q F3 on this page to request a payment trace to signal the IRS of the missing amount. Since payment tracing can take up to six weeks, the IRS suggests you go ahead and file your tax return and claim your missing EIP2 through the Recovery Rebate Credit.

For EIP3, you should request a payment trace if it has been:

• 5 days since the deposit date and the bank says it hasn’t received the payment
• 4 weeks since the payment was mailed by check to a standard address
• 6 weeks since the payment was mailed, and you have a forwarding address on file with the local post office
• 9 weeks since the payment was mailed, and you have a foreign address

To request a payment trace, mail or fax a completed Form 3911 to the address listed for your location here.

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Didnt Get The Full First And Second Payments Claim The 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit

If you didnt get the full amount of the first or second Economic Impact Payments, you may be eligible to claim the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit by filing a 2020 tax return. The third Economic Impact Payment will not be used to calculate the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit.

For the latest updates, check IRS.gov/coronavirus.

If You Are Not Required To File Income Tax Returns For 2019

You are not required to file federal income tax returns for 2019 if:

• Your income is less than $12,200.
• Youre married and filing jointly, and together your income is less than $24,400.
• You have no income.

If you are not required to file a federal income tax return, then you will probably have to wait for the IRS to open up the Non-Filers: Enter Payments Info Here tool to submit the information to get your second stimulus payment.

The information you will need to provide includes:

• Full name, current mailing address, and an email address
• Date of birth and valid Social Security number
• Bank account number, type, and routing number if you have one
• Identity Protection Personal Identification Number you received from the IRS earlier this year if you have one. Taxpayers who previously have been issued an Identity Protection PIN but lost it must use the Get an IP PIN tool to retrieve their numbers
• Drivers license or state-issued ID if you have one
• For each qualifying child during 2019: name, Social Security number or Adoption Taxpayer Identification Number, and their relationship to you or your spouse

Also Check: Will There Be 4th Stimulus Check

Correct Your Direct Deposit Information

Stimulus payments will be issued to taxpayers via direct deposit with the routing and account numbers they provided on their 2020 or 2019 tax returns these taxpayers will get their stimulus money much faster than those who get refunds by check. If you’ve closed an account that the IRS has on record, they’ll attempt to make the direct deposit, but when it doesn’t go through, they’ll issue a paper check and mail it to you. Unfortunately the only way you can change or correct your bank account information is on your tax return. Don’t remember what information the IRS has for your direct deposit? You can check it here.

What If I Closed The Bank Account The Irs Has On File

The IRS didnt release the new feature until it had already started sending payments via direct deposit. If you filed a 2018 or 2019 return and have since closed the bank account you provided?

Theres still nothing you can do to update your payment information with the IRS, and that means youll wait longer for your coronavirus checks.

The IRS has most likely processed your payment already. When you provide your information to track your check, chances are that it will show that your payment is being deposited to your old account.

Your old bank will reject the payment, which means it goes back to the IRS. The IRS will put you in line to receive a paper check.

Within 15 days, you should receive a letter in the mail that explains what to do if you didnt receive a payment. The IRS will send the letter to your last known address. And if thats changed since you filed your 2019 return? As of this writing, there doesnt appear to be any way to update that either.

The only guidance the IRS offers under the Update your bank account or mailing address is this:

• 2019 Filers: We will send your payment using the information you provided with your 2019 tax return. You will not be able to change it.
• 2018 Filers: If you need to change your account information or mailing address, file your 2019 taxes electronically as soon as possible. That is the only way to let us know your new information.

Also Check: What’s In The Stimulus Bill

When To Request A Payment Trace

At first glance, the steps to request a payment trace can look daunting. You’ll need to print and mail the completed Form 3911 from the IRS to start tracing your child tax credit payment. If you need help completing the form, contact your local tax consultant. Before you do, there are a few pointers to keep in mind.

• An IRS representative told CNET that there isn’t an abbreviation or code to include in the “Inquiry” field. You’ll need to be as specific as possible about what payment you’d like to track. Make sure to specify that you’re looking to trace a child tax credit check and the month the payment was disbursed.
• If you filed taxes jointly, both parents will need to sign the form to start the payment trace process.
• Be sure to check whether or not your money was sent via direct deposit or check. If your banking information is listed on the Child Tax Credit Update Portal, we recommend choosing the direct deposit box.
• You’ll need to mail the form where you would usually send a paper tax return in your area. The IRS has a list of addresses and fax numbers to help.
• You should not request a payment trace to determine your eligibility or to confirm your child tax credit amount.
• It could take up to 60 days to receive a response.

Receiving A Direct Deposit

What is a direct deposit? Direct deposit is an easy way to have money deposited directly into your checking or savings account without waiting for a check to arrive in the mail. Simply provide the IRS your account and routing number by filing a tax return or using the web-based portal. The money will move directly into your account once it is sent.

Need help finding your account or routing number?Your account and routing number on the bottom left-hand corner of a personal check. The routing number is the first set of numbers and is typically nine digits. The next set of numbers just to the right of the routing number is your account number.

What if I need to update the account information I provided when I filed taxes? Please visit IRS.gov/coronavirus for guidance on how to set up or change your direct deposit information.

How do I know the payment arrived? You will get a paper notice in the mail from the IRS no later than a few weeks after your payment has been sent. The notice will contain information about where the payment was sent and in what form it was made. If you cannot locate the payment and have not received a paper notice, then check the web-based portal for the status of your payment as it may still be processing.

You can also check to see if the money has arrived by signing into online or mobile banking and checking your transaction history.

Keep in mind you may need one or more of the following on hand to open an account:

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