How Do I Know If I’m Getting A Check Where Can I Check The Status
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin tweeted Tuesday that you can check your payment’s status later this week at .
However, not everyone qualifies for the payment. Notably, many students don’t qualify. Neither do immigrants who don’t have a Social Security number. Some elderly and disabled people won’t get a check either, along with high-wage earners. USA TODAY reporter Jessica Menton goes over who qualifies and who isn’t getting stimulus money.
You Receive Social Security Benefits Or You Dont Typically File Taxes
If you receive Social Security Benefits, or dont earn enough income to file taxes, the IRS experienced a delay in validating your eligibility for the third stimulus payment. The IRS had to wait to receive information from the Social Security Administration before it could review and verify if you qualified for a payment, and for how much.
After receiving the SSA information on March 25, the IRS announced on March 30 that most, if not all, of the Social Security recipients and other federal beneficiaries who do not normally file a tax return and are eligible for a stimulus check, should receive their payments electronically on or around April 7.
This includes those who receive Social Security retirement, survivor or disability , Supplemental Security Income , and Railroad Retirement Board recipients who did not file a 2019 or 2020 tax return or did not use the Non-Filers tool
The IRS announcement also stated that the Get My Payment tool will be updated to reflect this change on the weekend of April 3-4 for those that are expecting to receive their payments by April 7.
How To Claim Your Stimulus Money
The first step is to figure out how much in missing stimulus payments you’ll need to claim on your 2020 tax returns.
The IRS, which began accepting tax returns on February 12, calls the checks “recovery rebate credits” on its tax forms. That’s because, technically, the payments were actually tax rebates paid in advance of filing your taxes. Most taxpayers have until April 15 to file their taxes, although the IRS on February 22 said Texas residents will receive another two months to file, due to the winter storms that battered their state.
To help determine if you are owed more, the IRS published a Recovery Rebate Credit worksheet, which asks questions about eligibility and how much you received in the two stimulus checks so far. If you find that you are owed more, you can enter the amount on line 30 on IRS Form 1040.
If you don’t recall how much you received in the first two rounds of stimulus payments, you can create or view your account at the IRS website. Extra stimulus money will be included with your tax refund. Most taxpayers will receive their refund within 21 days, according to the tax agency.
With Congress now working on a third relief package, millions of households could receive a third stimulus check within the next several weeks, which happens to fall in the middle of tax filing season.
Recommended Reading: What Days Are Stimulus Checks Deposited
Your Stimulus Payment Went To The Wrong Bank Account
The problem: You signed up for direct deposit, but your check didn’t arrive. Why? It’s possible that your stimulus payment went to the wrong bank account. Maybe your account was closed, or an electronic transfer attempt was made for a temporary bank account, like one used on behalf of millions of people who used a tax preparer like Jackson Hewitt, TurboTax and H& R Block. Although this latter issue hasn’t been widely reported, it affected the first and second payments.
What to do: Reach out to your bank or tax preparer to see if an attempt was made to deposit money to your account. Ask if they have an internal protocol to file a report or follow up with a representative who can help.
What next? If you didn’t get a direct deposit by March 24, then your stimulus payment will most likely arrive in the mail. Here’s how to track the payment to your mailbox. The IRS is not allowing individuals to register for new direct deposit accounts or correct inaccuracies. If your third stimulus check never arrives, here are all the ways you can try to resolve the issue.
How To Make Sure You Receive Your Credits As Soon As Possible
The Recovery Rebate Credit worksheet requires that you know the specific amounts you were supposed to receive, according to the IRS. By doing the investigation and calculation work in advance, youll most likely end up getting your stimulus check and tax refund faster.
To get it correct, that cannot be overemphasized, Steber says. These Recovery Rebate Credits are real cash, and they sent out hundreds of millions in the two tranches. If you did in fact receive it and forget about it, it could add weeks to your tax return timeline.
Your tax refund will be passed more quickly and safely if you electronically file and provide a direct deposit, the IRS says.
Typically, the IRS is good at sending out refunds within a couple of weeks within electronically filing, Bronnenkant says.
Not included in 2020s Recovery Rebate Credit is a third stimulus payment worth $1,400 or more, distributed to Americans beginning in mid-March after President Joe Biden signed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan. Taxpayers will most likely have to wait until 2021 to claim those missing relief payments, Jaeger says.
Read Also: How To Get $600 Stimulus Check
How To Get Your Stimulus Checks If You Still Haven’t Received Payment
While Congress considers whether to issue a fourth round of stimulus checks, some people haven’t received their older checks.
The first and second stimulus check amounts were for $1,200 and $600, respectively. The third was for $1,400. Here’s how to get your stimulus checks if you haven’t received them yet.
Firstly, some people haven’t received checks because not everyone qualifies for them. You aren’t eligible if your previous IRS tax filings show that you’re a single person who makes over $75,000 annually, a head of household who makes over $112,500 annually, or a married couple who jointly reports over $150,000 annually.
Some are also ineligible due to restrictions on age and dependent status. If someone claimed you as a dependent in their previous tax returns and you were 17 years old or older on January 1, 2020, then you weren’t eligible for the first two checks, according to CNBC.
The IRS and the Social Security Administration have also said that people may not have received stimulus checks because they didn’t file their 2020 taxes. They urged them to file for 2019 and 2020 even if they’re not legally required, in order to ensure that all eligible people receive their payments.
Even if you owe the IRS money, you should still receive your stimulus checks or the aforementioned 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit. The IRS won’t withhold those funds.
What To Do If The Irs ‘needs More Information’
If the Get My Payment tool gave you a payment date but you still haven’t received your money, the IRS may need more information. Check the Get My Payment tool again and if it reports “Need More Information,” this could indicate that your check has been returned because the post office was unable to deliver it, an IRS representative told CNET. Here are more details on how the tracker tool works and what the messages mean.
Read Also: Stimulus Check To Wrong Account
Do You Need To File Another Form With The Irs If Your Money Hasnt Arrived
As was the case with the first check, if you filed a 2018 or 2019 tax return or receive government benefits, the IRS should automatically send your second check for $600 without you having to do anything.
If, however, youre a US citizen or permanent resident, had a gross income in 2019 under $12,200 or $24,400 as a married couple and didnt file a return for 2018 or 2019, you may have needed to give the IRS a bit of information before they can process your payment. If you missed the Nov. 21 deadline to use the IRS Non-Filers tool, you would likely have to claim that money on your next tax return in the form of a Recovery Rebate Credit, described above.
As always, be sure to contact a tax professional for advice and answer any questions when filing your return.
How To Get Missing Funds From Previous Stimulus Payments
If you’re certain you meet the qualifications to receive the first or second stimulus check, what to do next depends on your situation.
If you never got your money or a confirmation letter from the IRS that your payment was sent, you needed to file for the money on your tax return this year. We’ve got full instructions for how to file for your recovery rebate credit here, but basically, you’ll use the 2020 Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR to claim a catch-up payment. However, the last day to file your taxes has passed, so this will only work for those who filed a tax extension.
The tax return instructions include a worksheet to figure out the amount of any recovery rebate credit for which you’re eligible, according to the IRS. If you’re part of a group that doesn’t usually file taxes , you’ll still need to file this year. You should also save your IRS letter — Notice 1444 Your Economic Impact Payment — with your 2020 tax records, as you’ll need it to file the claim.
You can also file for a Recovery Rebate Credit if you didn’t receive the correct amount of money for your child dependents in your first or second check. The same goes for parents of 2020 babies .
Learn smart gadget and internet tips and tricks with our entertaining and ingenious how-tos.
Recommended Reading: What Were The Stimulus Check Amounts
Still Waiting On Your Stimulus Check
The rampant spread of COVID-19 in the United States has caused a serious financial impact on the U.S. economy, as the stock market plunged amidst job losses and closed businesses. A glimmer of hope, though, has been the recent passing of legislation to help boost the American economy. The stimulus checks, which are part of a $2 trillion CARES act relief package, are set to help Americans who are unemployed or losing income due to COVID-19. Americans are receiving a $1,200 direct deposit or check from the IRS, assuming you meet the eligibility criteria.
Even though millions of Americans have received their payment, there are still many who have yet to see their stimulus check. If you find yourself in this category, there could be many reasons why you dont have your check. We wanted to point out some common reasons why your check may not have arrived and what you can do to make sure it gets to you safely!
How Can You Correct Mistakes
The IRS sends out Notice 1444 by mail within 15 days of making a direct deposit or sending a paper check. That letter will tell you the amount of your stimulus payment and how it was made. The letter also provides instructions on fixing issues with your payment.
Don’t Respond to Telephone Calls or Texts About Your Stimulus Check
The IRS will not call, text, or email you about your stimulus payment. The Federal Trade Commission is warning that thieves are posing as government employees to prey on stimulus payment recipients. These scammers may ask for your personal information or threaten you that if you don’t send the money back in the form of money transfers or gift cards, you’ll lose your drivers’ license. Ignore these communications.
Self-help services may not be permitted in all states. The information provided on this site is not legal advice, does not constitute a lawyer referral service, and no attorney-client or confidential relationship is or will be formed by use of the site. The attorney listings on this site are paid attorney advertising. In some states, the information on this website may be considered a lawyer referral service. Please reference the Terms of Use and the Supplemental Terms for specific information related to your state. Your use of this website constitutes acceptance of the Terms of Use, Supplemental Terms, Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy. Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Recommended Reading: Direct Express 3rd Stimulus Check Deposit Date
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.
Someone Scammed You And Took Your Payment
The problem: You think someone swiped your stimulus check, or stole personal and sensitive information while posing as a government agency contacting you about your direct payment.
What to do: We have a guide for how to guard against and report these attacks. Remember that the IRS is sending a confirmation letter to let you know that it sent you a check and for how much.
Recommended Reading: Is There A 3rd Stimulus
How To Claim Your Money If Your First Or Second Stimulus Check Never Arrived
What to do if you never received any stimulus check depends on your situation. If you never got your money or a confirmation letter from the IRS saying your first payment was sent, you will likely have to file for the money as a Recovery Rebate Credit with your 2020 taxes this year. Youll need to use the 2020 Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR to claim a catch-up payment when filing before the April 15 deadline.
The IRS will provide a Recovery Rebate Credit Worksheet if youre missing a payment and determine how much. If youre part of the group that doesnt usually file taxes , youll likely still need to file this year. You should also save your IRS letter Notice 1444 Your Economic Impact Payment with your 2020 tax records, as youll need it to file the claim.
You can also file for this Recovery Rebate Credit if you didnt receive the correct amount of money for your child dependents in your first or second check.
However, there could be other instances where your money didnt come through. Contact the IRS if:
- The Get My Payment tracking tool reported the IRS made your payment weeks ago, and you didnt get it.
- You received a confirmation letter from the IRS that your payment was sent, but you didnt get the funds.
- You think you accidentally threw out your prepaid EIP debit card or check.
- You suspect someone stole your check or defrauded you.
My Stimulus Payment Was Too High
Some individuals whose income increased too much in 2019 were not eligible for a full stimulus payment, but they got one anyway since the IRS based the payment on their 2018 taxes. Those individuals will not have to pay back the payment.
In other cases, families were paid an extra $500 or $600 for children who were 17 or older . This could happen if the IRS took the number of children who qualified for the child tax credit in 2018 without updating children’s ages for 2019. But in other cases, it looks like the IRS took the number of dependents from a family’s 2018 tax return, without regard to their age. The IRS has said that those who received such overpayments will not have to pay them back.
Read Also: Who Gets Stimulus Checks This Time
Still No Stimulus Check One Of These Payment Problems Could Be The Culprit
Here are nine possible reasons your stimulus check hasn’t arrived with any of the payment waves the IRS has sent.
Third stimulus check delivery has been going on for weeks. What does it mean if your payment still hasn’t arrived? And what can you do about it?
The IRS sent out another wave of third stimulus checks this week — did you get yours? If not, there could be an issue holding up your $1,400 payment. Before you do anything, check the IRS tracker tool to see what it says. If it shows your stimulus check should’ve arrived days or even weeks ago, or it just doesn’t arrive at all, there’s likely a problem that needs to be addressed.
Make sure you’re triple-checking every piece of mail that comes to your house — that’s how your payment will arrive unless you receive SSI, SSDI or veterans benefits, or you’re expecting a “plus-up” payment. It’ll come in the mail as an EIP debit card or paper check, which you can track with the USPS. Also, double-check that you’re eligible and that you’re receiving the right amount — for instance, you should get more money if you had a baby, claim newly qualified dependents or are part of a mixed-citizenship status family.
How Your Return Can Help With A $1400 Stimulus Check
Since March, the government has been deploying new batches of stimulus checks weekly.
Each of those rounds has included payments to people that were prompted by the IRS processing their 2020 tax returns.
That goes for people who do not typically file tax returns, but did so this year in order to get their $1,400 checks. Once those forms were processed, the IRS sent their payments.
In addition, people who already received their third stimulus check, and who are due more money after the IRS completed their latest return, received “plus-up” payments from the agency.
That could happen if their financial circumstances changed since their 2019 return, such as their income declining last year.
Not everyone needs to file a federal return in order to get their stimulus checks. If you receive federal benefits and do not typically file, you should get your payment automatically. However, you may want to file a return in order to submit information on eligible dependents.
In addition, if you used the IRS online non-filer tool last year, you should not have to resubmit your information.
The non-filer tool has not been reopened this year. Instead, the IRS has urged people who it does not already have on record to file tax returns, which can help the agency evaluate whether or not you may be eligible for other tax credits.
You May Like: Stimulus Check In May 2021