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:
When Will The Irs Release The Second Stimulus Checks
On Monday, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin boldly predicted that qualified consumers would start seeing money in their accounts before the January 1st. That optimism vaporized a day later when Trump declined to sign the bill.
If the president does sign the bill and you are one of the people who gets IRS checks direct deposited in your bank account, take a look at your calendar, add two weeks to the day he signed, and pencil in the words possible stimulus check arrival.
Its possible it will arrive that day, but it depends on a number of circumstances.
The IRS has experience at this , but its not an easy task to check the name, address and account number on every 2019 tax return and get the right amount on more than 150 million stimulus checks expected to go out.
Still, thats the best-case scenario. If you receive your government checks via regular mail, the best case is probably a month or more after the bill is signed.
‘payment Status Not Available’ Or ‘need More Information’
Some will get a message that says “Payment Status Not Available.”
“If you get this message, either we have not yet processed your payment, or you are not eligible for a payment,” the IRS said. “We will continue to send the 2021 Economic Impact Payment to eligible individuals throughout 2021.”
And others will get a “Need More Information” message when using the tool if the payment was returned to the IRS because the post office was unable to deliver it for another reason.
If your address has changed the IRS says the easiest way to update is to “file your 2020 tax return with your current address, if you havent already done so. Once we receive your current address, we will reissue your payment.”
COVID-19 relief payments are going to the wrong accounts:Stimulus checks going to wrong bank accounts for some Americans
Contributing: Jessica Menton, USA TODAY
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Fourth Stimulus Check: Are More Payments Coming
A fourth stimulus check from the government could take one of two forms: monthly checks in fairly small amounts, or one-time payments of up to $2,000.
Both options have been put forward by legislators in Congress as follow-ups to the third round of pandemic relief payments, which were made possible by the American Rescue Plan Act of March 2021.
The U.S. economy is still recovering, with slow but steady job growth even as unemployment numbers hold steady and the Delta variant of COVID-19 causes hospitalization rates to soar.
The federal moratorium on evictions ended Aug. 26 with a Supreme Court ruling, and millions now face losing their homes. Inflation, however, appears to be on the rise, contributing to fears among economists and lawmakers that further stimulus payments could only fuel more price hikes.
As a result, there’s no legislation in Congress that’s likely to pass that would create a fourth round of stimulus payments, even though some Democratic lawmakers have called on President Joe Biden to consider recurring payments.
The White House has passed back the buck, stating that the president would consider whatever Congress comes up with.
At the end of July, Rep. Ilhan Omar , introduced a bill that would send $1,200 to each American making less than $75,000 per year, forever. But it has not moved forward in the House of Representatives and has little chance of passing.
How Much Will I Get Who Is Eligible For The Checks
In this round, people who file their tax returns individually and have adjusted gross income of up to $75,000 will get $600, with the amount gradually reduced for individuals who earn more.
For joint filers, the ceiling for a full payment is $150,000 of adjusted gross income: They will receive $1,200 . For an individual filing as head of household, the ceiling is $112,500. Families will receive up to $600 per adult and $600 more for each dependent child under 17 years old.
As in the spring, the benefits phase out for those with higher income at the rate of $50 for each $1,000 above the ceiling. That means single filers with adjusted gross income of $87,000 or more will get no stimulus money. Joint filers with adjusted gross income of $174,000 or more are also not eligible for checks.
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Will We Get A Second Stimulus Check
This time, the checks are set to be based on either 2019 or 2020 returns. The IRS has said it had sent out all legally permitted first and second stimulus checks and is now focusing on the tax filing season. The tax agency sent more than 160 million $1,200 stimulus checks that totaled more than $270 billion.
When Will I Get My Stimulus Check
The timeline for distributing the checks isnt yet certain because Congress hasnt actually passed the bill, which lawmakers are expected to vote on Monday. But the money could start moving fast if the CARES Act is any indication.
The Treasury Department began delivering payments to more than 80 million taxpayers in mid-April, roughly two weeks after the CARES Act was passed. The process could be even quicker this time around Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Monday that checks could start landing in bank accounts early next week.
People go out and spend this money, and that helps small business and that helps getting more people back to work, Mnuchin told CNBC. So its very fast, its money that gets recirculated in the economy.
People who submitted their bank account information to the Internal Revenue Service with their 2018 or 2019 income tax returns would likely be first in line because the feds could deposit the checks right into their accounts.
The 14 million people who submitted their banking info to the IRS earlier this year to collect their first stimulus checks may also get their second payments quickly, but the Treasury hasnt definitively said whether it will reuse banking details its already collected, according to CNBC.
The infrastructure is already in place to administer such a payment, Chad Hooper, president of the Professional Managers Association, which represents IRS managers, told CNBC in August.
With Post wires
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What Date Can I Expect To Get The $600 Stimulus Check
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has said that the stimulus checks will be sent out from the beginning of next week.
There is no specific date for the release of the stimulus checks, though we know that some people will receive their money next week.
However, the checks won’t all be released at once, so based on the first round of checks as well as expert opinions, we may be able to estimate when they will be paid out.
It was expected that it will take the Treasury around two weeks to start paying out the stimulus checks after the legislation is signed. Howard Gleckman, a senior fellow at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, told CNN that the IRS could begin paying out the money in January.
But according to Mnuchin, some Americans will be paid by the end of the month.
In March, when the legislation for the first round of stimulus checks was passed, it took the IRS around two weeks to begin sending checks. More than half of eligible people received their money in the first three weeks of April and most people had received their money within two months.
Other factors that may affect who will receive their checks sooner include whether or not the IRS has an individual’s bank information on file, as these people can have the money deposited straight into their account.
As this is the second round of checks, the IRS may be able to reuse the banking information that they collected earlier this year, so Americans could receive their money quite quickly.
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Are More People Eligible Now For A Payment Than Before
Under the earlier CARES Act, joint returns of couples where only one member of the couple had a Social Security number were generally ineligible for a payment unless they were a member of the military. But this months new law changes and expands that provision, and more people are now eligible. In this situation, these families will now be eligible to receive payments for the taxpayers and qualifying children of the family who have work-eligible SSNs. People in this group who dont receive an Economic Impact Payment can claim this when they file their 2020 taxes under the Recovery Rebate Credit.
Can I Change My Direct Deposit Information
Unfortunately, the ability to update your bank account information using the IRS Get My Payment tool is unavailable. That means youll receive the money in the most recent bank account the IRS has on file for you.
If the account the IRS has on file is closed, you will need to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2020 tax return to receive your stimulus payment. The money will then come to you as a tax refund. The TaxAct product is up to date with this information and can help you claim the credit to ensure youre getting the right amount of money you deserve.
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When Will A Second Stimulus Check Be Issued
The government began sending direct deposit payments on December 28, 2020. Paper checks were sent out starting on December 30, 2020.
Payments are automatically sent to:
- Eligible individuals who filed a 2019 tax return.
- Social Security recipients, including Social Security Disability Insurance , railroad retirees, and Supplemental Security and Veteran Affairs beneficiaries.
- Individuals who successfully registered for the first stimulus check online using the IRS Non-Filers tool or who submitted a simplified tax return that has been processed by the IRS
There is no action that you have to take to get your second stimulus check. People who provided their banking information with the IRS shouldve received their stimulus checks by direct deposit. Social Security and Veterans Affairs beneficiaries who received the first payment via Direct Express shouldve received the second payment the same way.
The IRS sent paper checks or prepaid debit cards to people who did not provide their banking information. Mailed payments may be delivered in a different format than the first stimulus check.
All second stimulus checks were issued by January 15, 2021. If you didnt get a second stimulus check by then , you can claim your second stimulus check as the Recovery Rebate Tax Credit on your 2020 tax return or use GetCTC.org if you dont have a filing requirement.
For Payments By Direct Deposit
If you already signed up to receive IRS payments via direct deposit, there is no need to go back and register again. Youre in the system and can expect to receive it that way again, as long as your banking information hasnt changed.
The IRS website for tracking your check Get My Payment is temporarily offline. The IRS page says it is monitoring legislative active and will post updates and provide information to taxpayers when it becomes available.
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Why Are Income Limits An Issue
The first two government stimulus checks $1,200 for the first round and $600 for the second round also set income thresholds that made higher-income households ineligible for the payments. In both earlier rounds, single people who earned up to $75,000 and married couples who earned up to $150,000 received the full payments.
People with higher earnings got smaller payouts as their incomes rose, until the payments cut off entirely for higher-income families. In the first round, the phaseout stood at $99,000 for single people and $198,000 for married couples.
In the second round of stimulus, the phaseout for the $600 checks was slightly lower $87,000 a year per single person and $174,000 per married couple. But that was a function of the smaller size of the checks, given that the law reduced both checks by 5% for every $100 earned above the income limits for full payments.
Recent economic research indicates that finances have stabilized for many middle- and higher-income families who have managed to work from home during the coronavirus pandemic. That is stirring debate among lawmakers and experts over whether the direct aid should be targeted toward lower-income households, who are more likely to feel the ongoing economic impact of COVID-19 and its spread.
When Would I Get A $1400 Check
It’s possible the checks could arrive as soon as mid- to late March, if the bill is passed by Congress and assuming the relief package directs another round of direct payments to households, analysts say.
Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers have said they want to pass a new relief bill before the current $300 in weekly additional jobless aid expires on March 14.
Once the relief bill is passed, it must be signed by Mr. Biden. After that, the IRS would direct stimulus checks to eligible households. Based on past payment schedules, checks could arrive via direct deposit within a week of Mr. Biden signing the bill.
However, people who don’t have banking accounts or payment information on file with the IRS would likely have to wait longer for paper checks or prepaid debit cards to arrive in the mail.
With reporting by the Associated Press.
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How Is My Second Stimulus Check Calculated
The IRS relies on your tax return to calculate whether you qualify for the second stimulus check. So your eligibility was based on your 2019 tax returns, which you filed by July 15, 2020.
According to the text released by Congressional leaders, the COVID-19 relief bill notes those with an adjusted gross income over certain limits receive a reduced amount of money, with the checks phasing out entirely at higher incomes.
Your AGI is calculated by subtracting the deductions that you made during the tax year from your gross income .
Heres a quick breakdown of the AGI limits for the $600 stimulus checks:
- Single filer checks begin to phase out at AGIs above $75,000.
- Head of household checks start getting phased out at incomes over $112,500.
The IRS reduces stimulus payments by 5% for the total amount that you made over the AGI limit. This means that for every $100 that you make over the limit, your check goes down by $5. At high enough incomes, the checks phase out entirely. So if you earned over $87,000 as an individual taxpayer, $174,000 as a joint filer, or $124,500 as a head of household, you do not get a stimulus payment. The following calculator allows you to calculate your benefit amount:
This second round of stimulus checks is currently half the maximum amount of the first stimulus checks that were included in the CARES Act in March.
Third Stimulus Check Calculator: See How Much Youre Eligible For
The third stimulus check calculator could be useful to know how much you money youll get as you look into your next few months of personal finances. Its also useful to read up on the best ways to spend your stimulus check if you dont already have a plan for your payment.
To find out how much you can expect, enter some basic information into the American Rescue Plan calculator.
Youll need to confirm that you filed a 2019 or 2020 tax return and select your filing status . Youll also enter the number of dependents you claimed as well as your adjusted gross income from your most recent return. The tool will automatically calculate your estimated payment.
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