I Do Not Make Enough To File A Tax Return Or Do Not Have An Income Am I Eligible
Yes, if you do not file a tax return and you do not get Social Security Retirement, Social Security Disability, Survivor Benefits, or Railroad Retirement Benefits, then go to www.irs.gov and click non-filers- enter your payment info here. If you do not usually file a tax return and didn’t get your Stimulus Check, you may be able to file a tax return for 2020 to get your Stimulus Check. You should check with a tax professional. You can call Pine Tree Legal Assistance.
Eligibility For A ‘plus
You can estimate how much money the IRS owes your household for the third stimulus check. Just make sure to triple-check that you meet the qualifications, including the income limits.
Because of the overlap with tax season 2020, many people may receive some, but not all, of their allotted amount. If your income changed in 2020, in some cases, the IRS may owe you more money than you received if the income figure used to calculate your payment from your tax returns in 2018 or 2019 is less in 2020. Likewise, if you now have a new dependent, such as a new baby, you may be owed more money.
The IRS is automatically sending “plus-up payments” to make up the difference. If you don’t get one, you may need to claim the missing money another way later in 2021 or even in 2022, since tax season is officially over now.
You Filed A Paper Tax Return
The IRS is facing a backlog of processing tax returns. The bad news is that if you filed a paper tax return, the delay will potentially be longer. How does this impact your stimulus check payment? If the IRS has not yet processed your tax returns, then they may not yet have your latest financial information- enough to issue a stimulus payment.
Don’t Miss: When Will I Get The Third Stimulus Check
What If Dont Normally File A Tax Return
The IRS said this third round of stimulus will be based on tax year 2019 or 2020 information, or information obtained by the Social Security Administration and Veterans Affairs Administration. If you are a non-filer who also does not receive a SSA or VA benefit, then use the Non-filer Sign-up tool, described below.
The IRS recently launched a new Non-filer Sign-up tool on its website. Although this non-filer portal is labeled as for non-filers claiming advance payments of the child tax credit, it is also available for others, including single individuals and people experiencing homelessness. It will allow individuals to provide their information to the IRS so that they can receive any of the three Economic Impact Payments , also known as stimulus payments, that they may be missing. If an individual did not get the full amounts of the EIPs, they may use this tool if they:
- Are not required to file a 2020 tax return, didnt file a 2020 tax return, and dont plan to, and
- Want to claim the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit and get their third EIP.
The new Non-filer Sign-up tool is for people who did not file a tax return for 2019 or 2020, and who did not use the IRS Non-filers tool last year to register for Economic Impact Payments.
Am I Eligible To Get A Stimulus Check

You are eligible to get a stimulus check and will receive the FULL amount if you filed taxes and have an adjusted gross income of:
- up to $75,000 if single or you filed taxes married filing separately.
- up to $112,500 if you filed as head of household
- up to $150,000 if married and you filed a joint tax return.
You May Like: Where Is Stimulus Check 3
Was Your Direct Deposit Account Info Entered When You Filed Your 2020 Taxes
The problem: You filed your 2020 taxes and signed up for direct deposit for the first time or corrected your banking information, but the IRS didn’t transfer stimulus funds into your account by March 24.
Why? It may be that the IRS didn’t process your tax return and information before it sent your third stimulus payment.
What now? Track your 2020 tax return to see what your status is. If your direct deposit doesn’t trickle in a few days past the March 24 due date, you’ll want to keep an eye on the mail for a paper check or EIP debit card. Also use the IRS check tracking tool to see when your stimulus payment is scheduled to send.
If I Owe Child Support Will Mytax Return Be Applied Tomychild Supportarrears
-
Maybe.Federal law and regulationsdetermine when federal payments are intercepted and applied to child support arrears.
-
IfTANFhas been received for your child,thetotalamount of past due supportonall ofyourchild support cases must be at least $150
-
IfTANFhasnotbeenreceivedfor your child,thetotalamount of past due supportonall ofyour child support casesmust be at least $500
Don’t Miss: Will Ssi Get The Second Golden State Stimulus Check
I Received A Second Payment But My Spouse Didn’t
There have been cases where a couple submit their tax returns as “married filing jointly,” and both spouses are eligible for a $1,400 stimulus check, but one spouse received a payment and the other did not . This is an error on the IRS’s part. Unfortunately, the spouse who didn’t receive a check will have to claim a Recovery Rebate Credit on his or her 2020 tax return. See below for instructions on claiming the rebate on your tax return.
Frequently Asked Question About Advance Child Tax Credit
What are advance payments of the Child Tax Credit ?
The American Rescue Plan, signed into law in March 2021, made important changes to the Child Tax Credit for most taxpayers in 2021. The American Rescue Plan directs the IRS to make advance monthly payments of half the estimated annual CTC from July through December of 2021.
How much is the advance on the Child Tax Credit?
Please check the IRS website for information about advance Child Tax Credit amounts.
How do I know if Iâm eligible for the Advance Child Tax Credit payment?
To see if youâre eligible for advance payments, use the Advance Child Tax Credit Eligibility Assistant.
How will I receive my Advance Child Tax Credit payment and when?
If youâre eligible to receive a payment, you will receive the funds in one of these ways:
- By paper check If you did not file a tax return or have not given the IRS your direct deposit account information in the last two years, you will be issued a US Treasury check. If you prefer to receive your advance Child Tax Credit payment via direct deposit, the IRS has added the capability to update bank information to reroute your advance from check to direct deposit via the Child Tax Credit Update Portal. NOTE: Changing your advance disbursement from check to direct deposit will take several weeks to be implemented by the IRS and you may receive a check until the change takes effect.
Can I unenroll from the Advance Child Tax Credit?
You May Like: When To Expect The Next Stimulus Check
What Adult Dependents Should Do Next
Adult dependents should take a careful glance at their finances and any lifestyle changes from 2020 to see if they are, in fact, eligible to individually claim a stimulus credit. That could potentially be worth up to $3,200, accounting for all three stimulus rounds.
If youre a college student who works a job and lives on campus, you very well couldve ended up covering more than half of your own support in the tax year of 2020. Others mightve graduated in 2020 and started working a new job. Meanwhile, if you turned age 24 last year, you mightve unknowingly aged out of the adult dependents category. If those circumstances sound like they might apply to you, consider filing independently for the 2020 tax year and claiming a Recovery Rebate Credit for yourself.
But be careful: When in doubt, dont file independently. You dont want to risk raising any red flags with the IRS, delaying your familys tax return. Also potentially risky, filing independently could cause your parent or guardian to miss out on the more tax-advantaged head of household filing status if youre the only dependent theyre claiming. That could cost them crucial tax breaks and credits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit . Direct all questions to a tax professional.
What If I Need To Change My Mailing Address Since I Filed
If you filed a 2019 tax return, the IRS will use the mailing address it has on file from your return. You wont be able to change it.
If youve only filed a 2018 tax return and need to change your mailing address, the IRS recommends filing your 2019 taxes electronically as soon as possible. Thats the only way to let the IRS know your new information.
Read Also: When Are We Getting The Fourth Stimulus Check
Why You Can Trust Bankrate
Founded in 1976, Bankrate has a long track record of helping people make smart financial choices. Weve maintained this reputation for over four decades by demystifying the financial decision-making process and giving people confidence in which actions to take next.
Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy, so you can trust that were putting your interests first. All of our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts, who ensure everything we publish is objective, accurate and trustworthy.
Our banking reporters and editors focus on the points consumers care about most the best banks, latest rates, different types of accounts, money-saving tips and more so you can feel confident as youre managing your money.
How Can I Get My Money Faster

If you didnt provide your direct deposit information with your taxes but dont want to wait several weeks or months for your stimulus payment, dont panic. A free online tool from the IRS called Get My Payment allows people to provide their direct deposit information so they dont have to wait for their check to arrive in the mail.
But act quickly. The IRS said on May 8 that people have until noon on May 13 to input their direct deposit information into Get My Payment. After the May 13 cutoff the IRS will begin preparing paper checks that will begin arriving through late May and into June, according to an IRS statement.
Get My Payment also lets you track the status of your payment and see what type of payment youll receive. Its designed to work on a desktop, phone or tablet, and you dont need to download it from an app store. To track your payment, youll need to provide your name, mailing address used on your tax return and Social Security number. The IRS says the apps data is updated once a day.
Be careful when entering your information you cant change your bank account info after a payment has been scheduled to be delivered, the Treasury Department said in a press release. Its also wise to be on the lookout for any suspicious emails, calls or texts seeking your personal info, as its likely that scammers will try to take advantage of the stimulus check system to steal peoples personal information.
Also Check: Has The 3rd Stimulus Check Passed Yet
Why Did I Receive A Debit Card
The IRS issued millions of debit cards to taxpayers in lieu of second stimulus checks, but will be sending out fewer debit cards out for the third payment. The prepaid Visa debit cards, issued by MetaBank, are called Economic Impact Payment cards. Your EIP card will arrive in a white envelope with “Economic Impact Payment Card” in the return address. You’ll need to activate the card by calling the phone number that comes with the card and choosing a 4-digit PIN number.
You can use your EIP card for purchases or use it to withdraw cash . You can also transfer the funds from your EIP card directly into your own bank account, after you register for online access.
If you use the card wisely, it will be free, but there are some fees to be aware of. If you use an out-of-network ATM or a bank teller to withdraw cash, you may need to pay a fee, and if you check the balance of the debit card, at either an in-network ATM or an out-of-network ATM, you will be charged a small fee.
The IRS has announced that the vast majority of taxpayers should receive their third stimulus payment by direct deposit this time.
Do I Have To Repay My Stimulus Money
No, unless you obtained your stimulus check fraudulently.
Promotion: NerdWallet users get 25% off federal and state filing costs. |
|
|
Also Check: Who Qualified For The First Stimulus Check
What If I Need To Change My Bank Account Information Since I Filed
The Get My Payment tool doesnt allow people to change their bank account information already on file with the IRS, in order to help protect against potential fraud, the IRS website says. The Get My Payment tool also does not allow people to update their direct deposit information once their Economic Impact Payment has been scheduled for delivery.
However, people who did not use direct deposit on their last tax return to receive a refund, or when their direct deposit information was inaccurate and resulted in a refund check, will be able to provide that information and speed their payment with a deposit into their bank account, the IRS website says.
If the bank account you used on your tax return has since been closed, the IRS says the bank will reject the deposit and you will be issued your payment to the address we have on file for you.
If you split your tax refund between multiple accounts, the IRS will send your stimulus payment to the first account you listed on Form 888. If your direct deposit is rejected, your payment will be mailed to the address we have on file for you, the IRS says.
If youve had to make an electronic payment to the IRS in the past which includes Direct Debit Installment Agreements the IRS will not use that account information to send your stimulus payment. Instead, the IRS says you must fill out your direct deposit information through the Get My Payment app or wait for your payment to come in the mail.
Reasons Why You Havent Received Your $1400 Stimulus Check
If you see that youre indeed eligible for the stimulus money, there are several reasons why you are still waiting. In no particular order, here are the top five.
Since President Joe Bidens American Rescue Plan was signed into law in early March, the Internal Revenue Service has worked tirelessly to send out a hundred twenty-seven million coronavirus relief checks that could potentially be a lifesaver for many financially struggling Americans.
Despite that success, know that there are millions of Americans who are still sitting empty-handed, wondering daily if their stimulus check will ever arrive.
If youre one of those unlucky individuals, take note that fewer Americans will receive checks this time around, so make sure to confirm if you even qualify. Individuals who earn as much as $75,000 in adjusted gross income , or couples making $150,000in addition to their children or adult dependentsqualify for the full $1,400 per individual.
Moreover, single parents with at least one dependent who earn $112,500 or less also get the full amount. Families in which some members have different citizenship and immigration classifications are eligible for a payment, if at least one person has a Social Security number.
The payments, however, phase out much more quickly than in previous roundsan individual with an income of $80,000, or a couple with $160,000, will not be receiving any check.
1. Your bank account information or address has changed
3. You havent filed taxes
Recommended Reading: Who Gets Third Stimulus Check
Top Credit Card Wipes Out Interest Into 2023
If you have credit card debt, transferring it to this top balance transfer card secures you a 0% intro APR into 2023! Plus, youll pay no annual fee. Those are just a few reasons why our experts rate this card as a top pick to help get control of your debt. Read The Ascent’s full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.
How Do I Track My Payment
Taxpayers can track the status of their payments using the IRS’s Get My Payment tool, which is updated once a day. You will likely receive one of three types of messages:
- “Payment Status” will show you the date your payment was processed and will tell you if you will receive funds via direct deposit or in the mail. If the tool says that you are eligible for a payment, but there is no date shown, that means that the IRS hasn’t processed your payment yet. It does not mean that you won’t receive one you will just get it in a future wave of payments.
- “Payment Status Not Available” means the IRS either hasn’t yet determined your eligibility or that you’re not eligible at all.
- “Need More Information” means one of the two things: Either the IRS does not have your account information and your payment hasn’t been processed yet, or the postal service was unable to deliver your payment and it was returned to the IRS.
Read Also: How To Get California Stimulus Check