Child Support And The Federal Stimulus Payment
As of March 2021, there have been three stimulus payments, called Economic Impact Payments, authorized by the US Congress to help citizens combat the financial challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Each of these payments has different rules when it comes to child support debt.
On this page you can find general information and links to learn more about how child support debt affects each stimulus payment. If you have questions about your child support case, please call your local child support office or go to OCSE MyCase and register or log in to check the status of your case and for secure messaging with your caseworker.
Click here for more information from the U.S. Treasury Department about Economic Impact Payments and debt offset. Click here for the IRS website.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. If I owe child support, will my stimulus payment be intercepted and applied to my child support arrears?The three phases of stimulus payments each have different rules:
2. If I’m married to someone who owes a child support debt, will I get my portion of the federal stimulus payment?If your CARES Act stimulus payment was intercepted because you filed jointly with your spouse and only your spouse owes a child support debt, click here to go to the IRS website for information about receiving your portion of the CARES Act stimulus payment. See FAQ 1 for an explanation of the different stimulus payments and child support debt.
Is There A Deadline To Get My Second 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.
If youre required to file taxes:
The deadline to file your 2020 tax return was May 17, 2021. The tax filing extension deadline is October 15, 2021. Many tax filing software programs close after this date. If you can find an online tax filing program that is still accepting 2020 tax returns, you can file a tax return to get your stimulus checks even though the deadline has passed.
If you dont owe taxes, there is no penalty for filing late. If you owe taxes, you may be subject to penalties and fines for not filing or not paying taxes. The government may reduce your tax refund to pay for any taxes you owe and other federal and state debts.
To learn more about your options if you think you owe taxes, read Filing Past Due Tax Returns and What to Do if I Owe Taxes but Cant Pay Them.
If youre not required to file taxes:
The deadline to use GetCTC.org is November 15, 2021. You can get the Recovery Rebate Credit using GetCTC.org, a simplified tax filing portal for non-filers. GetCTC is an IRS-approved service created by Code for America in partnership with the White House and U.S. Department of Treasury. You can use the portal even if youre not signing up for the Child Tax Credit advance payments.
How To Get More Stimulus Money In The Third Round Of Coronavirus Relief
On March 11, one year into the COVID-19 pandemic, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan into law, which provides the largest of three stimulus checks for millions of Americans. After the first stimulus payment of $1,200 per adult and the second of $600 per adult and child, the third stimulus round is worth $1,400 per eligible adult and dependent child.
Payments phase out completely at a lower income threshold than in the first two checks. You could see your stimulus payment as early as this weekend if you receive the funds electronically, according to White House press secretary Jen Psaki.
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I Have Unused Flexible Spending Account Money Any Relief There
Yes. Now, if your employer allows it, you can carry over unused health care or dependent care money and use it in 2021. Ditto for unused 2021 money that you wish to carry over into 2022. The law also allows employers to raise the last eligible age for childrens dependent care to 13, from 12, for the 2020 plan year.
Didnt Receive Your $600 Stimulus Money Prepaid Debit Cards Going Out This Week
Starting this week, the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service are sending approximately 8 million second Economic Impact Payments by prepaid debit card.
These EIP Cards follow the millions of payments already made by direct deposit and the ongoing mailing of paper checks that are delivering the second round of Economic Impact Payments as rapidly as possible.
For those who dont receive a direct deposit, they should watch their mail for either a paper check or a prepaid debit card. To speed delivery of the payments to reach as many people as soon as possible the Treasurys Bureau of Fiscal Service is sending payments out by prepaid debit card.
IRS and Treasury urge eligible people who dont receive a direct deposit to watch their mail carefully during this period. The prepaid debit card, called the Economic Impact Payment card, is sponsored by the Bureau of the Fiscal Service and is issued by Treasurys financial agent, MetaBank, N.A.
Taxpayers should note that the form of payment for the second mailed EIP may be different than the first mailed EIP. Some people who received a paper check last time might receive a prepaid debit card this time, and some people who received a prepaid debit card last time may receive a paper check.
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What About Rental Evictions
The agreement extends a moratorium on renter evictions through Jan. 31.
The Trump administration, through an order from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, had already extended a previous eviction ban through the end of the year. The agency said the moratorium was needed to prevent renters from ending up in shelters or other crowded living conditions, which would put them at higher risk of contracting the coronavirus.
The new agreement simply extends that order. To be eligible, renters must have experienced a substantial loss of household income, a layoff or extraordinary out-of-pocket medical expenses, among several other conditions and they cant expect to earn more than $99,000 in 2020 .
Renters can use a form from the C.D.C.s website to attest to their eligibility more information on eligibility can be found here.
Could My Stimulus Be Seized Or Offset To Cover Debt I Owe
According to the Franchise Tax Board, the state’s stimulus payment is not subject to garnishment for child support or spousal support, for example, or offset for debts owed to state agencies.
Here’s everything we know about the other stimulus aid that might be coming your way. And here’s more about the expiration of pandemic-era unemployment benefits.
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Are There Any Changes To The Federal Student Loan Forbearance Program
Not in this agreement, according to congressional aides. The pause on payments began via a provision in the CARES Act. This month, the Education Department extended it by a month to Jan. 31.
A similar extension seems likely after President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. takes office, given his past support for student loan forgiveness initiatives. Keep an eye on your loan servicers website for updates on how it might handle any uncertainty in January.
What To Do Now
For those who have gone more than two weeks since receiving their original FPUC payment, the first step is to confirm your job/eligibility situation has not changed and to contact your local state unemployment agency . But it is hard to get through to someone so you will need A LOT of patience. Also ensure you check your online unemployment account, email and junk mail to ensure you have not missed any communication from your state UI agency.
Ultimately, state agencies should retroactively catch-up on payments and you will be made whole, but that wont help those already behind on bills and need the money just to make ends meet. Ill post some more solutions as I find them, but please share your story below and hopefully the community of readers on this site can answer your question or make you realize your are not alone.
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Its Been Over A Month Since Unemployed Workers Last Received The $600 Weekly Federal Government Supplement To Their State Benefits Which Was Approved Under The Cares Act
In late-March President Donald Trump signed the CARES Act stimulus relief package, which included a measure to give out-of-work Americans an extra $600 a week in federal unemployment benefits on top of their regulat state benefits.
Since that benefit expired at the end of July, Congress has been trying to negotiate a new coronavirus releif package which would likely include provisions for another federal unemployment benefit.
But so far, Democrats and Republicans have been unable to come to an agreement on a new package.
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Will I Receive Another Stimulus Payment
Individual adults with adjusted gross income on their 2019 tax returns of up to $75,000 a year will receive a $600 payment, and a couple earning up to $150,000 a year will get twice that amount. There is also a $600 payment for each child for families who meet those income requirements. People who file taxes using the head of household status and make up to $112,500 also get $600, plus the additional amount for children.
People with incomes just above these levels will receive a partial payment that declines by $5 for every $100 in income.
Did you make much less money in 2020 than 2019, thus making you eligible for this newest payment even though your 2019 income makes you appear ineligible? When you file your 2020 return, there will be a way for you to claim this money then in the form of a refundable tax credit.
Why Was My Stimulus Check Reduced
- 8:27 ET, Mar 17 2021
AMERICANS are being sent their third stimulus check but some may be shocked to find it is lower than the previous two.
President Joe Biden’s $1.9trillion Covid relief package was approved last week and includes a $1,400 stimulus check, which is already being distributed.
Lawmakers hope the third round of financial support will get people spending to boost the economy after a slump caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Stimulus checks of $1,200 were paid last year and followed up with an extra $600 payment last month.
The latest checks being sent to households are worth $1,400 but there are reasons it could be lower or it may not have arrived yet.
Around 85% of Americans are expected to receive the checks, here is why yours may be different.
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Don’t Give Up Money That’s Yours
Single tax filers earning $75,000 or less and married couples filing jointly earning $150,000 or less were entitled to a full stimulus payment under the last bill. From there, those stimulus payments phased out so that singles without children earning more than $87,000 and couples without children earning more than $174,000 got no money at all.
If your income falls within the limit for stimulus eligibility but you never got your money, it could be because the IRS didn’t have a recent tax return for you on record. Not everyone is required to file a tax return every year. If your earnings don’t exceed the standard deduction and you’re not self-employed, you can generally skip filing a return without any penalty. As such, if you didn’t file a return for the past two years, you may not have made it onto the IRS distribution list.
The good news is that you can still get your stimulus money. The bad news is that you’ll have to file a tax return to do so. Specifically, you’ll need to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on your return. As long as you don’t owe any other tax, the IRS should issue your $600 stimulus in refund form.
Here’s some more good news. If your income is $72,000 or less, you’re entitled to file a tax return for free with certain IRS filing partners. And when you do so electronically, you can generally expect your refund within 21 days of submitting your return. Sign up for direct deposit, and you may have that money within 10 days.
People Who Don’t File A Tax Return
Question: What if I don’t file a 2019 or 2020 tax return?
Answer: Some people don’t file a tax return because their income doesn’t reach the filing requirement threshold. If that’s the case, the IRS will send a third stimulus check based on whatever information, if any, is available to it. That information potentially could come from the Social Security Administration, Railroad Retirement Board, or Veterans Administration if you’re currently receiving benefits from one of those federal agencies. If that’s the case, you’ll generally receive your third stimulus payment the same way that you get your regular benefits. If you supplied the IRS information last year through its online Non-Filers tool or by submitting a special simplified tax return, the tax agency can use that information, too.
Some people who receive a third stimulus check based on information from the SSA, RRB, or VA may still want to file a 2020 tax return even if they aren’t required to file to get an additional payment for a spouse or dependent.
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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.
What If My Spouse Or Ex
If you did not get all or some portion of your Economic Impact Payments you can file a 2020 tax return and claim these amounts on line 30 of the form. The IRS is referring to this as the recovery rebate and will allow you to claim any of the EIPs that you did not get in advance. You may get a denial letter from the IRS, but that is the opportunity to reply and explain your situation to the IRS.
Vermonters with a low income can contact us for help at the Vermont Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic by filling out our form or calling 1-800-889-2047.
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Stimulus Check Income Limits
| Less than $150,000 | $160,000 or more |
On the other hand, a family with a large number of dependents and an AGI within the boundaries could still receive a large partial payment, as long as they come in below that absolute upper income limit. You can experiment with our stimulus calculator for an idea of what you’d get.
Mail Delivery Remains Slow
The United States Postal Service was beleaguered by delivery delays over the holiday season, exacerbated by high levels of online shopping and thousands of postal workers catching Covid-19. While delivery times have improved since December, according to the New York Times analysis of a USPS report, only 84% of first-class mail was being delivered on time by the beginning of March, below the agencys target of about 96%.
The IRS announced it will send another batch of stimulus payments by mail the week starting March 22 If Get My Payment says that your payment has been mailed, make sure to check your mail regularly, especially if it is not in a secured location. For added protection, consider signing up for the free USPS service, Informed Delivery. This allows you to get a preview of your mail arriving that day.
You can see what stimulus checks, EIP debit cards and envelopes look like on the IRS website.
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