What If Ive Had Changes Since Filing My 2019 Tax Return
The IRS used information on your 2019 tax return to determine your payment amount if you didnt file a 2020 tax return or if it wasnt processed in time.
If you had a child, you will be able to get the additional $500 for them when you file your 2020 tax return or use GetCTC.org if you dont have a filing requirement.
If you moved and the first stimulus check was not delivered to you, you may need to request a payment trace so the IRS can determine if your payment was cashed . If your payment wasnt cashed, you can claim your first stimulus check as the Recovery Rebate Tax Credit on your 2020 tax return or by using GetCTC.org if you dont have a filing requirement.
If you got divorced and no longer live at the address on your tax return or included direct deposit information for a joint account and you are no longer married, this may be a complex matter that should be discussed with a tax professional.
Unfortunately, if the first stimulus check was issued, the IRS treats the payment as being received by both spouses, even if both people didnt get the money. If the payment went only to your ex-spouse, the IRS views this as a personal legal matter that you should discuss with your divorce attorney. You can also contact your local Low Income Taxpayer Clinic or local Taxpayer Advocate Service for help.
Stimulus Check: Check Your Status With The Irs Get My Payment App
If youre not sure whether your stimulus check has been sent out, the easiest way to check is by using the IRSs own online tracker. Alternatively, you can use the IRS stimulus check phone number.
If you meet the eligibility requirements for the third stimulus check, the status of your payment should be visible from the IRSS Get My Payment Portal. That includes people who are not eligible for the full stimulus-check amount. Heres how:
- Just head over to the IRS Get My Payment website, and click Get My Payment to enter the portal.
- Fill out your Social Security number or Individual Tax ID along with your date of birth, address, and ZIP code. Then click Continue.
You should then see your stimulus-check-payment status. If it hasnt been sent yet, you have nothing to worry about.
If it says Payment Status Not Available it means that youre either not eligible, or that the IRS hasnt finished processing your tax return yet, assuming you have already filed it.
If you signed up to USPSs informed delivery tool, you can track your stimulus check through the mail and will get a notification when it arrives in your mailbox. You can read more about that here. But if you dont receive your payment, thats when you want to escalate things.
I Already Filed My Tax Return And Still Havent Gotten My Payment What Can I Do
If you filed a 2019 tax return and it wasnt processed in time to issue your first stimulus check by December 31, 2020, you can claim your first stimulus check as the Recovery Rebate Tax Credit on your 2020 tax return or use GetCTC.org if you dont have a filing requirement.
If you filed your 2020 tax return, the IRS may still be processing your return. The fastest way to receive the payment is through direct deposit. Your first stimulus check, which you claim as the Recovery Rebate Credit, will be sent as part of your tax refund. You can check the status of your tax refund using the IRS tool Wheres My Refund.
Because of COVID-19, it is taking more than 21 days for the IRS to issue refunds for certain mailed and e-filed 2020 tax returns that require review.
Recommended Reading: Wells Fargo Stimulus Check Deposit Time
Has The Irs Actually Sent My Stimulus Payment
Your first stop should be IRS.gov to check the Get My Payment tool. From there, youll be able to see when your EIP2 was sent, if it was directly deposited or mailed as a check, where it is headed, and so on. You can also confirm through Get Transcript by requesting an account transcript. Finally, you should have also received Notices 1444 and 1444-B in the mail these are payment confirmations sent by the IRS roughly 15 days after your stimulus payments were issued.
If the IRS lists your payment as delivered or sent , look at the date to see if it falls within the timeline provided below:
- 5 days since the deposit date
- Before February 24, 2021 for mailed payments
If its past the timeline that applies to you, its time to request a payment trace. Be sure to only request a payment trace if the IRS has your payment listed as delivered or sent, and youre outside the timeframe listed above.
Your Bank Account Number
When you file your taxes, make sure you use your current banking information if you would like your payment through direct deposit.
Typically, you’ll receive this payment using the refund option you select on your tax return. If you received an advanced refund through your tax service provider or paid your tax preparation fees using your refund, you’ll receive your payment by check in the mail.
Recommended Reading: Irs Social Security Stimulus Checks
Received A Payment In Error
If you received the Golden State Stimulus payment and believe this is an error, please review the eligibility qualifications above to verify this is an erroneous payment. Once verified, follow the instructions that correspond to the payment received:
Direct deposits:
Paper checks that have not been cashed:
ATTN: Golden State Stimulus FundFranchise Tax Board
What Should I Do Now
There are several things you can do now ahead of a third stimulus payment to ensure things go as smoothly as possible.
- Make sure the IRS has direct deposit information for you so you will be among the first to receive a stimulus payment.
- If you havent filed your 2020 taxes, consider any difference between 2019 and 2020 income. If the IRS uses your 2019 taxes and you receive more than you would have using 2020 taxes, then you likely wont have to pay that money back.
- Conversely, if you receive a stimulus based on 2019 and actually qualify for more in 2020, then you can claim the difference as a Recovery Rebate Credit when you file your 2021 taxes in 2022.
- If you have a refund coming in 2020 or have makeup prior stimulus credits coming, then you may want to file now to get that money.
- To avoid not receiving your third stimulus and having to claim it as a credit in 2022, even if you dont normally have to file income taxes, consider doing it this year to make sure you are in the IRS system.
You May Like: Am I Getting A 2nd Stimulus Check
I Got My Stimulus Check On A Debit Card And Lost It Or Threw It Out How Can I Get A New One
You can request a replacement by calling 800-240-8100. Select option 2 from the main menu. Your card will arrive in a plain envelope which displays the U.S. Treasury seal and Economic Impact Payment Card in the return address. It will be issued by Meta Bank, N.A. The envelope will include instructions to activate the card, information on fees, and a note from the U.S. Treasury.
Questions And Answers About The Third
These updated FAQs were released to the public in Fact Sheet 2022-22 PDF, March 25, 2022.
If you didn’t receive, or get the full amount of, the third-round Economic Impact Payment, you may be eligible to claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit and must file a 2021 tax return even if you don’t usually file taxes to claim it. Your 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit will reduce any tax you owe for 2021 or be included in your tax refund.
If your income is $73,000 or less, you can file your federal tax return electronically for free through the IRS Free File Program. The fastest and most secure way to get your tax refund is to file electronically and have it direct deposited, contactless and free, into your financial account. You can have your refund direct deposited into your bank account, prepaid debit card, or mobile app, and will need to provide routing and account numbers.
If you didn’t get the full amounts of the first and second Economic Impact Payments, you may be eligible to claim the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit and must file a 2020 tax return even if you don’t usually file taxes to claim it. DO NOT include any information regarding the first and second Economic Impact Payments or the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2021 return.
I received my payment by check, but it was lost, stolen or destroyed. How do I get a new one?
How do I request a payment trace to track my third-round Economic Impact Payments?
How we process your claim
You May Like: Will I Get A Stimulus Check This Time
Do You Need To Respond To Notice 1444
If you received your coronavirus stimulus payment in the correct amount, there is no need to respond. If you received the wrong amount or didnt receive your payment, follow the instructions in the notice. Try to avoid calling the phone number unless necessary to avoid having to wait for hours on hold.
You Get Less If You Made Too Much
The above numbers assume you made less than $75,000 as an individual or $150,000 as a married couple.
How do the first and second payment reduce based on your income?
If you made more than those amounts, your maximum check gets reduced by $5 for every $100 you were over. You hit a $0 payment at an income of $87,000 for individuals and $174,000 for joint filers.
How does the third payment reduce based on your income?
For the third payment, you still get the full amount if you made up to $75,000 as an individual or $150,000 as a joint filer. However, the payment phases out more quickly. If you made at least $80,000 or $160,000, you get zero.
Recommended Reading: When Is Next Stimulus Check Coming
Send To Irs Mailing Address
Look on the front of the Treasury check to find the name of the city that determines the appropriate IRS mailing address. The name of a city, or its abbreviation, should be printed at the bottom of the check in front of the words, “TAX REFUND.” If the Treasury check is for a purpose other than tax refund, note that in your letter.
The IRS document, “Topic 161 – Returning an Erroneous Refund Paper Check or Direct Deposit” located on the agency’s website, lists the nine city names and the corresponding mailing addresses. You may also call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040, and ask for the correct mailing address for returning the expired check.
How Long Does It Take The Irs To Reissue A Stimulus Check
If your refund check was lost, stolen, destroyed or not received and has not been cashed, we can normally provide a replacement within six to eight weeks. If your refund check has been cashed, you will receive a photocopy of the check and a Form 1133, from the Bureau of the Fiscal Service to initiate a claim.
Don’t Miss: When Should We Expect Stimulus Checks
Is Someone Who Died During 2020 Eligible For The Payment
From the IRS instructions for Line 30 of Form 1040:
Generally, you are eligible to claim the recovery rebate credit if in 2020 you were a U.S. citizen or U.S. resident alien, werent a dependent of another taxpayer, and have a valid social security number. This includes someone who died in 2020, if you are preparing a return for that person. Use the Recovery Rebate Credit Worksheet to figure the credit, if any, you can claim.
File Early To Claim The Recovery Rebate Credit And Get Your Refund Sooner
If your second stimulus payment is missing, you likely wont receive it before you file your taxes so, filing as soon as possible is one of the best ways to get your refund sooner. Even though the IRS wont start processing returns until February 12, filing now will put your return closer to the front of the line when all that work begins.
Plus, at 1040.com, we work hard to make our tax-filing walkthrough a simple and straightforward experience. If you havent yet, be sure to or log in today to get started.
Also Check: How To Cash Stimulus Check Without Id
When Will I Get My Money
With Biden having signed the legislation on March 11, 2021, payments could begin going out as soon as the week of March 15.
Taking a more conservative approach, using the IRS timeline for the second round of stimulus checks as a guide, direct deposit payments could begin as soon as March 22, 2021, for those who previously received their second stimulus check.
Already Have A Card Get It Ready
The Bank of America debit card expires four years from the issue date, as indicated on the front of the card. If you received a card in the past and it hasnt expired, well pay benefits using that same card. To replace an expired or lost card, call Bank of America toll-free at 866-213-4074 to request a new one. You will receive a replacement card within seven to ten business days, or you can pay $10 for expedited shipping. You can only request a replacement card through this dedicated number. A teller at a Bank of America branch will be unable to assist you.
Don’t Miss: Do You Have To Pay Taxes On Stimulus Checks
Write A Letter Of Explanation
If your expired IRS refund check or expired stimulus check is more than a year old, you’ll need to write a short letter to the IRS that includes the statement “Return of expired check because . . . ” and explain that you are returning the check because it has expired. Note the check number and issue date in your letter.
Request that the IRS reissue the check and send a replacement check to you. Include your current mailing address and telephone number.
Void The Expired Check
You’ll need to write “void” in large letters on the back of the Treasury check in the endorsement area, which is where you would normally sign the check. Place the expired IRS refund check or expired stimulus check in an envelope for mailing with the letter, but do not bend the check or staple or attach the check to the letter. Affix the correct postage to the envelope.
Read Also: Irs.gov Direct Deposit Form Stimulus Check
Check The Status Of Your Request
The IRS does not provide a formal process for checking the receipt of a returned Treasury check or the status of a request for a replacement check. However, wait the usual 21 days it takes the IRS to process a refund check before calling to ensure receipt of the letter and check. You can also ask about the replacement check at an IRS office in your area.
How Else Can I Verify The Amount I Already Received
If you lost or didnt get your notice, didnt save the letter that came from your check, or dont have the bank statement with your stimulus payment, you can still find your payment amount.
Note that transcripts can take several weeks to update. However, by this point, your first and second payments should be showing. The third payment will not appear on 2020 and may later appear on 2021 once the IRS processes are finalized.
Read Also: Who Is Getting The Stimulus Check
Missing Your Stimulus Check Here’s What You Need To Do
The IRS has already sent out millions of stimulus checks based on the third stimulus bill, though there are plenty more still to come. So if you havent received your $1,400 payment yet, you dont need to worry.
But if you suspect that your third stimulus payment should have arrived but hasnt, there are some things you can do to make sure your payment does arrive. The same is true if youre still missing some or all of your first or second stimulus payments.
Who May Be Eligible To Receive More Stimulus Money
- Parents of a baby born in 2021 who claim the child as a dependent on their 2021 tax return
- Families who added a dependent, such as a parent, grandchild or foster child, on their 2021 tax return who was not listed as a dependent on their 2020 return
- Single filers who had incomes above $80,000 in 2020 but less than that in 2021 married couples who filed a joint return who earned more than $160,000 in 2020 but made less money in 2021 and head-of-household filers with incomes above $120,000 in 2020 but less than that in 2021
- Single filers who had incomes of between $75,000 and $80,000 in 2020 but earned less in 2021 married couples who file jointly who had incomes of between $150,000 and $160,000 in 2020 but less than that in 2021 and heads of household who had incomes of between $112,500 and $120,000 in 2020 but made less money in 2021
Even if you didnt qualify for the first and second round of stimulus payments in 2020, if you had a tough time financially in 2021 and your income is lower , you will get the credit on your 2021 return, Steber says.
Join today and get instant access to discounts, programs, services, and the information you need to benefit every area of your life.
Read Also: Check The Status Of My Stimulus