What Is A Plus
A plus-up payment is basically just a bonus amount that you probably should have gotten the first time. The IRS actually owes more money to some people based on their most recent tax returns. If they used your 2019 tax information to dish out your stimulus payment but your 2020 taxes show they underpaid youyou might be in for a plus-up payment based on your income. But remember, this isnt for everyoneonly those who had a change in income or dependents would qualify for more stimulus money.
How Will The Third Stimulus Check Be Calculated
The stimulus bill 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 will get reduced payments until they are fully phased out at higher incomes.
This is calculated by subtracting deductions like student loan interest, health savings account payments, and contributions to a traditional IRA from your gross income.
Your 2019 taxes had to be filed by July 15, 2020. And your 2020 taxes will be due by April 15, 2021.
Amount Of Third Stimulus Checks
Question: How much money will I get?
Answer: Everyone wants to know how much money they will get. You probably heard that your third stimulus check will be for $1,400 but it’s not that simple. That’s just the base amount. Your check could actually be much higher or lower.
To calculate the amount of your check, Uncle Sam will start with that $1,400 figure. If you’re married and file a joint tax return, then both you and your spouse will get $1,400 . If you have dependents, you get an additional $1,400 for of them. So, for example, a married couple with two children can get up to $5,600.
Now the bad news. Stimulus payment amounts will be phased-out for people at certain income levels. Your check will be gradually reduced to zero if you’re single with an adjusted gross income above $75,000. If you’re married and file a joint tax return, the amount of your stimulus check will drop if your AGI exceeds $150,000. If you claim the head-of-household filing status on your tax return, your payment will be reduced if your AGI tops $112,500. You won’t get any payment at all if your AGI is above $80,000 , $120,000 , or $160,000 .
Also note that the IRS, which is issuing the payments, will look at either your 2019 or 2020 tax return for your filing status, AGI, and information about your dependents. Because of this, the amount of your third stimulus check could depending on when you file your 2020 tax return.
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How Will You Receive Your Payment
The majority of payments will be sent via direct deposit. The IRS states that those who do not receive their stimulus payments as direct deposit will likely receive it as a mailed check.
Payment may also be sent as a prepaid debit card, as known as an EIP card. If payment is issued as a debit card, you will receive a new debit card, even if you had a previous EIP card. The new payment will not be added to an EIP card from a previous stimulus payment.
Make sure to keep a close eye on your mail over the coming weeks to ensure your check or EIP card is not lost in your junk mail. If your mailbox is not secure, the IRS recommends that you check it regularly.
If you receive Social Security or another federal benefit, you will generally receive your payment in the same method those payments are received. The IRS has not yet announced when these payments will be sent, but estimates that information will be available shortly.
Checks Could Go Out In A Matter Of Days After The American Rescue Plan Is Signed Into Law
If all goes as planned, millions of Americans will soon be getting another stimulus payment. This time,its up to $1,400 for individuals, $2,800 for couples, and an additional $1,400 for dependents.
The payments under the American Rescue Plan, which was adopted by the Senate on Saturday, are the third and so far the largest of the payments sent to Americans under coronavirus relief packages over the last year.
The payments will be distributed by the IRS. By now, the agency has experience in delivering the money quickly to eligible individuals and families.
But, no doubt, there will be some glitches, which is to be expected given the number of payments that could be sent in a matter of days.
The IRS has said it will issue information and details on the distribution of thisthird payment once the bill is passed by Congress and signed into law by President Biden. The House is expected to vote on the measure Tuesday or Wednesday, and Biden has said he will move swiftly to distribute the relief.
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Why $1400 Checks And Not $2000
Biden’s plan called for $1,400 checks for most Americans, which on top of the $600 provided in the Dec. 2020 relief plan would bring the total to the $2,000 that Biden called for.
This calculator can help determine how much you can expect from the third stimulus check.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
In Other News
Determining Eligibility For The Third Economic Impact Payment
Most eligible people will get the third Economic Impact Payment automatically and won’t need to take additional action. The IRS will use available information to determine eligibility and issue the third payment to eligible people who:
- Filed a 2020 tax return.
- Filed a 2019 tax return if the 2020 return has not been submitted or processed yet.
- Did not file a 2020 or 2019 tax return but registered for the first Economic Impact Payment using the special Non-Filers portal last year.
- Are federal benefit recipients as of December 31, 2020, who do not usually file a tax return and received Social Security and Railroad Retirement Board benefits, Supplemental Security Income and Veteran benefit recipients in 2020. The IRS is working with these agencies to get updated information for 2021 to assist with stimulus payments at a date to be determined. IRS.gov will have more details.
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Can I Claim A Stimulus Check For Someone Who Is Deceased
Yes. For the third stimulus check, people who have died on or after January 1, 2021, are eligible to receive the third stimulus check. However, for married military couples, the date of eligibility is expanded. If the person who died was a member of the military and died before January 1, 2021, the surviving spouse can still receive the third stimulus check, even if they dont have an SSN.
For the first and second stimulus check, the IRS has stated that people who died on or after January 1, 2020, are eligible to receive both payments.
If they didnt receive the stimulus payments or didnt receive the full amounts that they are eligible for, spouses or other family members can file a 2020 federal tax return and claim it as part of their tax refund or use GetCTC.org if they dont have a filing requirement. The deadline to use GetCTC.org is November 15, 2021.
How Will You Receive The Third Stimulus Check
Most people have gotten their previous stimulus checks by direct deposit with the bank account on file with the IRS. Payments were automatic for anyone who filed a 2019 tax return and/or receives Social Security benefits. If you dont have direct deposit with the IRS, your payment would take a little more time and come as a check or debit card in the mail.11
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When Will Stimulus Payments Be Sent
Your stimulus payment may already be on its wayor you may have already received it. On March 12, the IRS announced that the $1,400 stimulus check will reach Americans within the week.
The first payments were sent by direct deposit and were scheduled to arrive on March 17. The IRS will continue to send additional batches of direct deposits, as well as mailing checks and debit cards, over the next several weeks.
Third Payments Differed From Previous Economic Impact Payments
The third payments differed from the earlier payments in several respects:
- Income phaseout amounts changed. Payments were reduced for individuals with adjusted gross income of more than $75,000 . The reduced payments end at $80,000 for individuals and $160,000 for married filing jointly. People above these levels did not receive any payment.
- Payment amounts are different. Most families received $1,400 per person, including all dependents claimed on their tax return. Typically, this means a single person with no dependents received $1,400, while married filers with two dependents received $5,600.
- Qualifying dependents expanded. Unlike the first two payments, the third payment was not restricted to children under 17. Eligible individuals received a payment based on all of their qualifying dependents claimed on their return, including older relatives like college students, adults with disabilities, parents and grandparents.
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I Didn’t File A 2019 Or 2020 Tax Return And Didn’t Register With The Irsgov Non
Yes, if you meet the eligibility requirements. While you won’t receive an automatic payment now, you can still get all three payments . File a 2020 return and claim the Recovery Rebate Credit for the EIP1 and EIP2 amounts. This return will then be used to generate an EIP3 payment.
The IRS urges people who don’t normally file a tax return and haven’t received any stimulus payments to look into their filing options. The IRS will continue reaching out to non-filers so that as many eligible people as possible receive the stimulus payments they’re entitled to.
The IRS encourages people to file electronically, and the tax software will help figure the correct stimulus amount, which is called the Recovery Rebate Credit on 2020 tax forms. Visit IRS.gov/filing for details about IRS Free File, Free File Fillable Forms, free VITA or TCE tax preparation sites in the community or finding a trusted tax professional.
What If I Havent Gotten My Stimulus Check Yet
First, head over to the governments Get My Payment site to check in on your payment status. If it shows the stimulus check was issued to you, but you havent gotten it yet, you can run a payment trace to track it down. If the check wasnt cashed, the IRS will reverse the payment, and youll be able to claim it on your taxes. You can do this through the Recovery Rebate Credit.
If the check was cashed , youll have to make a claim and go through a whole process to get your stimulus money. That really stinks. Sorry in advance if you fall into that category. But with any luck, they should be able to straighten things out for you.
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Do Elderly People On Social Security Get A Stimulus Check
While it does not include a stimulus check for those on Social Security it does include some benefits for seniors. These include the expansion of Medicare to include hearing services, and provisions that will grant the government power to negotiate a limited about of drug prices with pharmaceutical companies each year.
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Families get monthly payments worth up to $300 per child for those under the age of six and $250 for dependents between the ages of six-17.
But, the amount depends on how old your kids are and how late you started claiming the advance tax credits.
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Families that have recently signed up for advance child tax credits could receive monthly payments of $600.
Parents will receive up to $1,800 this year before claiming the remaining amount when tax returns are filed in 2022.
Child tax credit payments are based on Americans’ previous tax returns but the program is open to low-income earners.
Single Americans do not have to file a tax return if they earn less than $12,200 a year.
There is the option to opt-out of advance child tax credit payments and its advised parents unsubscribe if they are worried about owing money to the IRS.
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More Details About The Third Round Of Economic Impact Payments
FS-2021-04, March 2021
The Internal Revenue Service, on behalf of the Treasury Department, worked to quickly begin delivery of the third round of Economic Impact Payments authorized by Congress in the American Rescue Plan Act in March 2021. Here are answers to some common questions about this set of stimulus payments, which differ in some ways from the first two sets of stimulus payments in 2020, referred to as EIP1 and EIP2.
Will I Receive A Paper Check Or A Debit Card
Like the prior EIP1 and EIP2, most people will receive their payment by direct deposit, but some people will get either a check or debit card. The best way to find out which is to check the Get My Payment tool, available only on IRS.gov. People who don’t receive a direct deposit should watch their mail for either a paper check or a debit card. Treasury is issuing some payments using debit cards to speed delivery of the payments and reach as many people as soon as possible. The form of payment people receive for this third stimulus payment may differ from the prior EIP1 and EIP2.
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Which Of My Dependents Qualify For The Third Stimulus Check
For the third stimulus check, all your dependents qualify, regardless of age. This means that for each child or adult dependent you have, you can claim an additional $1,400.
This is different from the first and second stimulus checks, which only allowed child dependents to get the additional payment.
Your Stimulus Check Eligibility Could Depend On Your Taxes
If you’re right on the cusp of the income limits described below, when you file your taxes could make the difference between qualifying for a partial check or not. That’s because a third stimulus check is now arriving during tax season.
The language in the stimulus bill makes it clear that the IRS will base your next stimulus check on your 2019 or 2020 taxes, whichever is on file when it processes your payment. However, the IRS is reportedly delayed in processing new tax returns. If you made more in 2020 than in 2019, time is on your side. The new tax deadline is May 17. If you need more time, you might want to request a tax extension.
At this point of the stimulus check delivery cycle, filing taxes sooner may not be to your advantage. The IRS is prioritizing stimulus check distribution over tax returns, and when the processing happens is outside your control.
If you did already receive your third stimulus check and it was based on your 2019 taxes but you qualified for more with your 2020 return, the IRS will be sending “plus-up payments” to correct the amount between now and Dec. 31, 2021. If you don’t receive your catch-up payment by then, you’ll need to claim it on your taxes next spring.
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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.
Highlights Of The Third Round Of Economic Impact Payments Irs Will Automatically Calculate Amounts
In general, most people will get $1,400 for themselves and $1,400 for each of their qualifying dependents claimed on their tax return. As with the first two Economic Impact Payments in 2020, most Americans will receive their money without having to take any action. Some Americans may see the direct deposit payments as pending or as provisional payments in their accounts before the official payment date of March 17.
Because these payments are automatic for most eligible people, contacting either financial institutions or the IRS on payment timing will not speed up their arrival. Social Security and other federal beneficiaries will generally receive this third payment the same way as their regular benefits. A payment date for this group will be announced shortly.
The third round of Economic Impact Payments will be based on the taxpayer’s latest processed tax return from either 2020 or 2019. This includes anyone who successfully registered online at IRS.gov using the agency’s Non-Filers tool last year, or alternatively, submitted a special simplified tax return to the IRS. If the IRS has received and processed a taxpayer’s 2020 return, the agency will instead make the calculation based on that return.
For those who received EIP1 or EIP2 but don’t receive a payment via direct deposit, they will generally receive a check or, in some instances, a prepaid debit card . A payment will not be added to an existing EIP card mailed for the first or second round of stimulus payments.
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