How Do I Check The Status Of My Payment
Get updates on the status of your next stimulus payment using the IRS “Get My Payment” tool. To use it, enter your full Social Security number or tax ID number, date of birth, street address and ZIP code.
But the Get My Payment tool won’t be updated until this weekend with information for VA beneficiaries expecting payments next week, the agency said.
For those who are eligible, the tool will show a “Payment Status” of when the payment has been issued and the payment date for direct deposit or mail, according to the IRS’s frequently asked questions.
When Should I Expect My Third Stimulus Check
Third Stimulus Check is a payment of the 2021 U.S. Economic Recovery Rebate Credit given to taxpayers whose 2020 federal income tax returns included a repayment of excess 2008 Stimulus Payments.
If you already received your first and second Stimulus Checks, then the third stimulus check should be deposited into your bank account no later than June 13, 2021.
Federal law requires Stimulus Checks be sent by the end of the second quarter following the date on which they are authorized.
If you have not already received your first and second Economic Stimulus Checks, we encourage you to file your 2020 tax return as early as possible to avoid delays in receiving a Third Stimulus Check.
Is The Child Tax Credit Expanded
Yes, the American Rescue Plan includes a temporary increase for the child tax credit for 2021.
The credit is worth $2,000 per child under 17 that can be claimed as a dependent.
It temporarily boosts the credit to $3,000 per child, or $3,600 per child under 6. It allows 17-year-old children to qualify for the first time.
The credit will begin to phase out for those earning more than $75,000 a year, or $150,000 for those married filing jointly. The IRS will look to prior-year tax returns to determine who qualifies for the higher credit. If a return for 2020 hasnt been filed yet, the agency will look to 2019 returns.
Families who aren’t eligible for the higher child credit may still be able to claim $2,000 credit per child.
This credit is for tax year 2021, says Greene-Lewis. The IRS hasnt issued full guidance yet, but theyre expected to start issuing advanced payments sometime in July so that people dont have to wait until they file their 2021 returns.
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How Do Stimulus Checks Affect The Debt
It sure doesnt lessen it.
Congress has passed three rounds of stimulus and recovery aid, with stimulus checks alone accounting for $877 billion. The three laws passed in March and December 2020 and March of 2021 total $5 trillion. Some economists argue that with interest rates near zero, now is the time to make that commitment because it will cost very little extra to re-pay it and money in peoples pockets will keep the economy moving.
No matter how its viewed, $5 trillion is a hefty addition to the debt.
When To Expect Your Next Stimulus Check

The best predictor of how quickly you might see your next check is how quickly the first two arrived in your bank account or mailbox. It took the IRS a mere 19 days after the first stimulus bills passage to send out millions of checks. When tasked with sending another round in December, the IRS was again able to pull it off in less than three weeks.
Congress is under a deadline, with existing pandemic benefits set to lapse in mid-March. In short, if they dont have another stimulus package passed by then, millions of their constituents are going to lose benefits that are helping them put food on the table and a roof over their heads. Thats going to be a tough sell back home.
If Congress votes a package through by the end of February, that means that checks should be in millions of accounts by the third week of March. If passage comes in the 11th hour , that pushes the expected date back to the first week of April.
These estimates are based on the supposition that the IRS can manage a quick turnaround in the heart of tax season. At this point, there is nothing to indicate that they cant pull it off.
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Your Payment Is Being Mailed
The IRS says if it has direct deposit information on file for you, thats how youll receive the third stimulus payment. However, even if the IRS has a current bank account on file, you still may not receive your stimulus payment as a direct deposit.
Due to the pressure of tax season and the complexity of 2020 tax returns as a result of pandemic-related tax breaks and other types of governmental aid, if the direct deposit returns an error of any kind, your stimulus payment will be sent as a check or in some cases, as a debit card.
If the IRS doesnt have direct deposit information on file for you, it will send the payments by check or a prepaid debit card . The Get My Payment tool will say that your payment has been mailed, but it wont say whether youll receive a check or debit card.
What Tax Year Is Used To Determine Eligibility For A Payment
Your 2019 or 2020 tax returnwhichever is most recentwill be used to calculate your payment eligibility and amount.
On April 1, the IRS announced that new weekly payment batches include supplemental payments for these people. As of late May, more than 7 million plus-up payments have been issued.
You dont have to do anything additional if this applies to you check Get My Payment for your status.
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How Likely Is A Fourth Stimulus Check
Don’t hold your breath, according to Wall Street analysts.
For one, the Biden administration has focused on infrastructure spending to spark economic growth, betting that an investment in roads, trains and other direct investments will help get people back to work and spur the ongoing recovery.
Secondly, economists have pointed fingers at relief efforts such as the three rounds of stimulus checks for contributing to inflation. Because Americans had cash in their pockets, they boosted spending on goods such as furniture, cars and electronics. Combine that with the supply-chain crunch, and the result was sharply higher inflation, according to economists.
Without new stimulus efforts on the horizon, it’s likely that inflation could moderate in 2022, according to Brad McMillan, the chief investment officer at Commonwealth Financial Network. “One cause of inflation has been an explosion of demand driven by federal stimulus,” he noted in a December report. “But that stimulus has now ended.”
He added, “Yes, we will continue to face inflation and supply problems, but they are moderating and will keep doing so.”
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When Is The Irs Deadline To Send New Stimulus Checks
At this point, the US treasury and the IRS are working fast to send all the stimulus checks as soon as possible. At the same time, they set a deadline for December 31st, 2021 to send out all of the payments.
In a way, this is good news this means they havent set a compressed deadline, meaning that should an issue appear, you have the time to address it. There is also the reassurance that since it wont be a rushed project, theres a lower chance of payments being missed or problematic.
At the same time, this means that numerous people may have to wait for a fair amount of time before they receive their stimulus check. Certain people have priority, but we have still much to learn about the IRS delivery system. In most cases, all we can do is wait as we track the stimulus check online.
Seniors Living With An Adult Child
Question: Will seniors who live with an adult child get a third stimulus check?
Answer: Again, anyone who is claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return doesn’t qualify for a third stimulus check. So, elderly people living with an adult child won’t get a check if they can be claimed as a dependent on their child’s tax return.
However, as with college students and young adults living with their parents, an adult child supporting an elderly parent will get an extra $1,400 added on to his or her third stimulus check if the elderly parent is a dependent. Again, the age of the dependent doesn’t matter for third-round stimulus checks like it did with earlier stimulus payments.
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Get More Of The Story
In this round, dependent payments will be $1,400, Singletary said. In previous stimulus packages, dependents got far less $500 in the first stimulus check and $600 in the second stimulus check.
The whole point of these checks is to get money into people’s hands so they can then spend it and pump money into the economy, Singletary added.
“The lower the income you have, the more likely you’re going to have to spend this money on food, your mortage, or things you need to run your household,” she said. “I think the vast majority of people getting these payments are going to spend it, and spend it right away, so there will be an infusion of cash into the economy.”
Singletary is a personal finance columnist for The Washington Post and author of The 21 Day Financial Fast.” Her column “The Color Of Money” is syndicated in newspapers across the country.
Do I Still Have A Shot At Qualifying For A Third Check If I File Now

If you didnt qualify for the third round of stimulus checks based on 2019, but you do qualify based on 2020, the next best step is to file your 2020 taxes as soon as possible, tax experts say.
If the IRS processes it in time, theyll use the most recent year to qualify taxpayers for the third round of economic stimulus payments, says Meredith Tucker, tax principal at Kaufman Rossin, one of the largest CPA and advisory firms in the U.S.
Steber agrees.
Filing a tax return early is always a best practice and proven this year with the stimulus checks to those who have already filed, says Steber. As to filing now and still getting a check, the IRS has not detailed timing and impact, but it is certainly possible, especially if your tax situation changed from 2019 to 2020.
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Other Notable Parts Of The Stimulus Bill
Some aspects of the bill worth knowing include:
- An extension of $300 supplements to unemployment benefits through Sept. 6. This may not be immediate though, as states may need time to set up the program. Any delayed benefits eventually would be paid in full.
- Exempting the first $10,200 of 2020 unemployment benefits from federal tax. Taxpayers who already filed 2020 returns would have to go back and file an amended return.
- A single taxpayer who made more than $80,000 in 2020 but less than that in 2021, an Economic Impact Payment based on their 2021 income when they file in 2022. The same is true for a married couple who makes less than $160,000 in 2021.
- $123 billion toward COVID treatment, which includes money for testing and vaccinations
- $360 billion for state and local governments that are required to balance budgets and lost significant revenue in the pandemic.
- $7.25 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program to help small businesses this bill allows nonprofits to apply as well.
- $128 billion to help schools open safely.
- $28 billion in emergency rental assistance to those struggling to keep their apartments.
- $10 billion to homeowners struggling to make mortgage payments.
- The Small Business Administration will receive $25 billion for a new grant program to help restaurants and other food and drinking establishments.
How Is The Third Stimulus Check Calculated
The stimulus plan mandates the treasury to rely on 2019 and 2020 tax returns to calculate how much you could get for the third round of stimulus checks.
Congress approved limits based on adjusted gross income ranges. This means that taxpayers making less than the minimum threshold could get the full stimulus check, while those earning above it get reduced payments until they are fully phased out at higher incomes.
You can find your AGI on IRS form 1040. This is calculated by subtracting deductions like student loan interest, health savings account payments, and contributions to a traditional IRA from your gross income.
By contrast, your gross income is the total amount of money that you made during the tax year, including wages, dividends, capital gains, rental property income and other types of revenue.
Your 2019 taxes had to be filed by July 15, 2020. And your 2020 taxes are due by the extended deadline of May 17. You can read more about when to file your tax returns for the third stimulus check, and other IRS requirements in two tax sections below.
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The Need For The Second Stimulus Check
The need for the second Stimulus check by the Americans is quite justified as the pandemic COVID-19 has caused huge losses to the health and the economy of the Americans. Millions of Americans have lost their jobs and there are speculations for further loss of millions of jobs in the US. However, some reports have stated the information about the steady lowering in the unemployment rate in the US. The unemployment rate in the US has dropped by 1.4% from April and there have been around 2.5 million jobs added back since March. This can be considered as a major reason for the Senate to reject this bill of the Second Stimulus Check.
Tips For Individuals During The Coronavirus Pandemic
- If you dont need to use your stimulus check for anything urgent, consider investing or saving the money. A financial advisor can help you get started if you need help managing your money or investments. SmartAssets free tool can match you with financial advisors in your area in just five minutes. Get started now.
- If you are struggling to keep up with loan or credit card payments, you can take steps to protect your credit score and speak with your bank directly to see whether you can defer loan payments or waive certain fees.
- If you can afford it, investing in index funds during a recession is a safe option. But if youre looking for a slightly more aggressive approach, check out some free investment classes to learn more.
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Who Qualifies For A $1400 Direct Payment
Unlike previous rounds of payments, eligibility for the new $1,400 checks may be determined based on either 2019 or 2020 tax returns, depending on whether youve filed yet for 2020 and whether the IRS has processed your return. In general, the federal government will use the most recent income information it has on file to determine eligibility.
Heres whos eligible for a payment:
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Who Qualifies For The Third Stimulus Check
Millions of Americans who were eligible for the $600 second stimulus checks could qualify for the third round of stimulus payments up to $1,400. However, many high-earning taxpayers who were eligible for previous stimulus checks are now excluded. The plan narrows income eligibility to exclude individuals earning over $80,000 and couples making over $160,000:
- Singles phase out at AGIs between $75,000 and $80,000.
- Heads of household phase out at AGIs between $112,500 and 120,000.
- Couples phase out at AGIs between $150,000 and $160,000.
Keep in mind that this is different from the sliding scale that was used to determine eligibility for previous stimulus payments. The IRS reduced second stimulus checks by 5% for the total amount made over the AGI limit. This means that payments went down by $5 for every $100 over the limit.
The table below breaks down third stimulus payments based on narrower income ranges for singles and joint tax filers:
$1,400 Stimulus Checks With Narrower Income Ranges |
Single AGI |
$174,000 and up | $0 |
If you want to get a specific breakdown, SmartAssets third stimulus check calculator will give you an estimate based on your filing status, AGI and dependents.
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A Fourth Stimulus Check Is Possible
For most Americans, it is extremely unlikely a fourth stimulus check will be provided. Here are a few key reasons why:
For all of these reasons, another check is unlikely to happen unless conditions take a dramatic turn for the worse — such as another COVID-19 variant that is vaccine resistant, easily transmitted, and more deadly.
Is Congress Talking About A Fourth Stimulus Check

There are no signs that lawmakers in Washington, D.C. are in serious discussions about a fourth direct payment stimulus check. While there have been calls by the public and from some lawmakers for recurring payments, there has been practically nothing in terms of action.
Emails and phone calls to the White House, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who is chair of the Senate Budget Committee, and Rep. John Yarmuth, D-Ky., chair of the House Budget Committee, asking if such payments are under discussion were not returned.
One pandemic-related stimulus that is being considered for an extension is the monthly advance child tax credit. It raised the previous tax credit from $2,000 at tax time to $3,000-$3,600 with the option of monthly payments. A one-year extension is part of the Build Back Better bill that passed the House. But Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., announced Sunday he would not vote for it. With no Republicans on board, passage of the bill is doomed unless an alternative is found.
A group of Democrats sent a letter to Biden in back in May , but the letter did not get into specifics and nothing else came of it.
A change.org petition started by Denver restaurant owner Stephanie Bonin in 2020 called on Congress to pass regular checks of $2,000 for adults and $1,000 for kids for the duration of the pandemic crisis.
As of late December, the petition has reached nearly 3 million signatures.
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