Second Stimulus Check: Who Is Getting $600 How To Track Your Payment
The second round of stimulus checks may soon start arriving in bank accounts after President Donald Trump signed the $900 billion stimulus bill. The last-minute signing was a welcome development for the 6 in 10 people who have suffered a financial setback due to the pandemic, but millions of people may find themselves in for disappointment if they are among the groups who dont qualify for the payment.
Its most likely that the checks will amount to $600 for each adult and child, or half the amount of the $1,200 checks sent out earlier this year. The $600 per-person payments are part of the stimulus bill passed by Congress earlier this month and signed by Trump Sunday evening.
Still, Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have called for lawmakers to boost the amount to $2,000 per adult a request that Wall Street analysts say has a slim chance of moving forward, considering the additional hundreds of billions of dollars such a raise in the amount would cost.
Children will be eligible for the same benefit amount as eligible adults, and families with members of mixed immigration status with a valid Social Security number for one spouse are also eligible for the payments, unlike with the CARES Act rebates, noted the Tax Foundation.
Chief among them: Child dependents who are 17 years old and adults who are claimed as dependents on another persons tax return, such as is typical with college students.
Advance Child Tax Credit
The expanded and newly-advanceable Child Tax Credit was authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act, enacted in March. Normally, the IRS will calculate the payment based on a person’s 2020 tax return, including those who use the Non-filer Sign-up tool. If that return is not available because it has not yet been filed or is still being processed, the IRS will instead determine the initial payment amounts using the 2019 return or the information entered using the Non-filers tool that was available in 2020. If an eligible taxpayer did not file for 2019 or 2020, they may use a new online Non-filer Sign-up tool to register for the monthly Advance Child Tax Credit payments.
To make sure families have easy access to their money, the IRS will issue these payments by direct deposit, as long as correct banking information has previously been provided to the IRS. Otherwise, people should watch their mail starting on or after July 15 for their mailed payment. The dates for the Advance Child Tax Credit payments are July 15, August 13, September 15, October 15, November 15 and December 15.
For more information, visit IRS.gov/childtaxcredit2021, or read FAQs on the 2021 Child Tax Credit and Advance Child Tax Credit Payments.
How Do I Get Help Filing A Tax Return To Claim My Eip
- The IRS recommends electronic filing, and we agree. It is a faster, more secure option. Paper forms will take much longer to be processed by IRS. You may qualify for free e-file software.
- You can also call the Vermont 2-1-1 hotline and follow the menu options for tax preparation. Through this service you may be able to schedule an appointment with a free Volunteer Income Tax Preparation Assistance site. These sites are staffed by trained volunteers. They provide free preparation services to taxpayers who meet eligibility requirements.
- Also, you can find Form 1040 and Form 1040 instructions on the IRS website.
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Who Is Eligible For The Second Stimulus Check
Eligibility is primarily based on four requirements:
1. Income: The income requirements to receive the full payment are the same as the first stimulus check.There is no minimum income needed to qualify for the payment. Households with adjusted gross income up to $75,000 for individuals will receive the full payment. This stimulus payment starts to phaseout for people with higher earnings. The second stimulus check maximum income limit is lower than the first stimulus check. Single filers who earned more than $87,000 in 2019 are ineligible for the second stimulus check.
View the chart below to compare income requirements for the first and second stimulus checks.
| Income to Receive Full Stimulus Payment | First Stimulus Check Maximum Income Limit | Second Stimulus Check Maximum Income Limit |
| Single Filer | ||
| $136,500 | $124,500 |
2. Social Security Number: This requirement differs from the original eligibility for the first stimulus check. Originally under the first stimulus check, if you were married filing jointly, both spouses needed valid Social Security numbers . If one spouse had an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number , then both spouses were ineligible for the stimulus check. For married military couples, the spouse with an SSN could still get the stimulus check for themselves but not the other spouse with an ITIN.
Examples
Former first stimulus check rules:
Second stimulus check rules:
Former first and second stimulus check rules for military filers:
How Will The Irs Know Where To Send Your Payment What If You Changed Bank Accounts
The IRS says it will use the data already in its systems to send the new payments. The IRS says, Taxpayers with direct deposit information on file will receive the payment that way. For those without current direct deposit information on file, they will receive the payment as a check or debit card in the mail. For those eligible but who dont receive the payment for any reason, it can be claimed by filing a 2020 tax return in 2021. Remember, the Economic Impact Payments are an advance payment of what will be called the Recovery Rebate Credit on the 2020 Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR.
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Is It Too Late To File For A Stimulus Check
The federal tax filing deadline has been extended to May 17 this year. If you miss that date, you can still claim any missing stimulus check money by filing for the funds by the 15 tax filing extension deadline, a spokesman for the IRS confirmed. Interest and penalties could accrue on any balance you owe the IRS.
Can A Nursing Home Or Assisted Living Facility Take The Payment From Me
No. If you qualify for a payment, its yours to keep. If a loved one qualifies and lives in a nursing home, residential care home or assisted living facility, its theirs to keep. The facility may not put their hands on it or require somebody to sign it over to them. Even if that somebody is on Medicaid.
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How To Get Your Stimulus Payment If It Does Not Arrive Soon
Under the second stimulus package approved by Congress, the Treasury Department was required to direct deposit or mail stimulus payments by Jan. 15. So if your payment doesnt show up soon, it probably isnt going to. At that point, your only recourse will be getting your stimulus money by filing for a Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2020 tax return.
Your stimulus payment is considered an advance payment of the Recovery Rebate Credit on the 2020 Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR. If you dont get your payment now, you can still get it at tax time by filling in the correct information on your tax return.
That will be a hassle for those who do not usually file a tax return, but you must file Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit even if you are normally not required to file a tax return.
Anyone with income of $72,000 or less can file their Federal tax return electronically for free through the IRS Free File Program.
Will You Get A Paper Check Or A Debit Card
If you are eligible for the second round of stimulus payments and you did not get a direct deposit by early January, chances are your payment was supposed to arrive by either a paper check or a debit card. If you got a paper check for your first stimulus payment last year, you might still get a debit card this time. And some people who got a debit card last time may receive a check now.
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 IRS explained. 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 the debit cards is available at EIPcard.com.
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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.
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.
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Your Financial Situation Changed From 2019 To 2020
Any changes to your financial situation in 2020 may affect your payment amount and receipt.
For most people, this will result from job or income loss due to the pandemic. If your income was higher than the phaseout thresholds in 2019, but your hours were cut or you only worked for part of 2020, you can claim the stimulus money you didnt receive using the Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2020 tax return.
If you had a baby in 2020, got married or divorced, you were previously claimed as a dependent, or you have a child who aged out of being claimed as a dependent, you may receive more after claiming the credit as well.
When youre ready to file 2020 federal taxes, an accountant or tax filing service may be helpful to clarify your exact eligibility. If you file on your own, your Form 1040 will include a Recovery Rebate Credit worksheet to help you determine the total amount youre eligible for.
Getting A Missing Check Can Be Difficult But Worth The Trouble
by Adam Shell, AARP, February 4, 2022
Nobody wants to leave money on the table, especially a stimulus payment from the U.S. government that theyre eligible for but didnt receive. In late January the Internal Revenue Service announced that all third-round stimulus checks had been sent. But the IRS also noted that not all eligible Americans received the full amount theyre entitled to.
The good news? Theres still time to get whats owed to you.
Uncle Sam which issued 175 million third-round payments, totaling over $400 billion, through the end of 2021 reminded people that they can claim any remaining stimulus money theyre entitled to but didnt get by claiming the Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 income tax return.
The rebate, which comes as a tax credit of up to $1,400 per eligible person on your 2021 return, will either lower the amount of tax you owe or boost the size of your refund. The golden prize of a tax return is a tax credit, says Mark Steber, chief tax information officer at Jackson Hewitt, a tax preparation service. The Recovery Rebate Credit is a dollar-for-dollar tax-liability offset.
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Get My Payment Says Payment Issued But I Haven’t Received It
The IRS says that it may take three to four weeks to receive a check after it’s mailed. If it has been weeks since the Get My Payment tool says the payment was mailed, and you haven’t received it, you can request a payment trace. The IRS will research what happened to your check if the check wasn’t cashed, you will need to claim the “Recovery Rebate Credit” on your next tax return. If the IRS finds that the check was cashed, you’ll receive a claim package from the Treasury Department with a copy of the cashed check and instructions on filing a claim.
Similarly, if the Get My Payment tool says your payment was direct-deposited, but the money doesn’t show in your bank account after five days, first check with your bank. If the bank says it hasn’t received a payment, you can request a payment trace.
To request a payment trace, call 800-919-9835 or fill out IRS Form 3911, Taxpayer Statement Regarding Refund.
When Will Your Stimulus Check Arrive
The stimulus payments are being distributed to taxpayers either by direct deposit or by paper checks or debit cards arriving by mail. If youve been paying your taxes via direct deposit, the IRS should already have your banking information on file and will make the payment directly to your bank account.
For direct deposit, the IRS uses data already in its system to determine which bank account to send the payment to. That most likely happens by attaching a routing and account number to your 2020 or 2019 tax filing, as well as inputting one earlier in 2020 for receiving your first stimulus check. Those receiving payments by mail will have to wait a little longer.
This round, the Treasury Department is also working with the Bureau of the Fiscal Service to identify federal records of recent payments to and from the government to find a possible bank account alternative for delivering stimulus payments as a direct deposit. The move helped accelerate the stimulus check delivery timeline, the IRS said in a statement.
In most cases, individuals arent required to take action to receive their checks and are discouraged from contacting the IRS, according to a Treasury Department release.
The IRS and Treasury Department anticipate sending out more tranches on a weekly basis moving forward.
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Will My 2020 Tax Return Affect The Amount Of My Economic Impact Payment
In some cases, yes. If you are entitled to a higher 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 your income decreased this year during the pandemic, this situation may apply to you. But you wont receive additional funds through a tax credit until 2020 returns are filed next year.
If your stimulus payment is lower based on your 2020 income, you can keep the higher payment sent to you based on your 2019 return.
What Information Will You Need
To access the tool, you’ll be asked to provide a:
- Social Security Number or Individual Tax ID Number
- Date of birth
- Street address and
- Five-digit ZIP or postal code.
If you file a joint tax return, either spouse can typically access the portal by providing their own information for the security questions used to verify a taxpayer’s identity. Once verified, the same payment status is shown for both spouses. In some cases, however, married couples who file a joint tax return may get their third stimulus payment as two separate payments half may come as a direct deposit and the other half will be mailed to the address the IRS has on file. If that case, each spouse should check the “Get My Payment” tool separately using their own Social Security number to see the status of their payments.
If you submit information that doesn’t match the IRS’s records three times within a 24-hour period, you’ll be locked out of the portal for 24 hours . You’ll also be locked out if you’ve already accessed the system five times within a 24-hour period. Don’t contact the IRS if you’re shut out. Instead, just wait 24 hours and try again.
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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.