Still Waiting On Your Stimulus Check
The rampant spread of COVID-19 in the United States has caused a serious financial impact on the U.S. economy, as the stock market plunged amidst job losses and closed businesses. A glimmer of hope, though, has been the recent passing of legislation to help boost the American economy. The stimulus checks, which are part of a $2 trillion CARES act relief package, are set to help Americans who are unemployed or losing income due to COVID-19. Americans are receiving a $1,200 direct deposit or check from the IRS, assuming you meet the eligibility criteria.
Even though millions of Americans have received their payment, there are still many who have yet to see their stimulus check. If you find yourself in this category, there could be many reasons why you dont have your check. We wanted to point out some common reasons why your check may not have arrived and what you can do to make sure it gets to you safely!
You Haven’t Filed Your 2019 Tax Return Yet
Stimulus payments are based off of the adjusted gross income on 2019 tax returns, or 2018 if you haven’t filed yet this year. If you didn’t qualify for a payment based on your 2018 income, but you do based on 2019 income, then you should file ASAP.
Payments are being sent throughout 2020, so as long as you file your 2019 return and fall under the income restrictions, you can get your money.
You Unenrolled From The Payments
Based on your most recent tax filings, the IRS considers whether you are eligible for the payments. If you are eligible, payments will be given to you monthly until you choose to opt out. This makes it easier for millions of people to benefit from the additional funds, but it also causes issues for anyone who has seen a big change in circumstances in the previous year or two.
Don’t Miss: Next Batch Of Stimulus Payments
Stimulus Check: How To Request A Payment Trace
There are two options to claim a payment trace. The first is to call 800-919-9835 and listen to all the recorded messages to be connected with an IRS agent. You can also download the Form 3911, Taxpayer Statement Regarding Refund from the IRS website and either mail or fax the completed form to the agency.
Just be sure to follow these instructions, as laid out by the IRS:
- Write EPI3 at the top of the form, making it clear that the form is for the third Economic Impact Payment, the official name for the stimulus payments
- When you reach section 7, check the box for Individual as the Type of Return
- Enter 2021 as the Tax Period
- Leave Date Filed box blank
- Make sure to sign the form, but be aware that married couples filing jointly will both need to sign
You dont need to mail Form 3911 if you did your payment trace over the phone.
You Receive Your Ca Tax Refund By Mail
California began issuing batches of stimulus payments by direct deposit back in late August but only started sending paper checks out by mail earlier this month. As a result, those who typically get their state refund through the mail should expect a delay possibly even through the new year.
Additionally, where you live can also affect when you get the payment, as mailing times are based on the taxpayers last three digits of their ZIP code.
The Franchise Tax Board provided the following timeline of when it expects mailed payments to go out:
Last 3 digits of ZIP code/mailing time frame
- 000-044: Oct. 6 through Oct. 27
- 045-220: Oct. 18 through Nov. 5
- 221-375: Nov. 1 through Nov. 19
- 376-584: Nov. 15 through Dec. 3
- 585-719: Nov. 29 through Dec. 17
- 720-927: Dec. 13 through Dec. 31
- 928-999: Dec. 27 through Jan. 11, 2022
Read Also: How Do I Get The $600 Stimulus Check
Volkswagen Will Seek Damages From Former Executives Accused In Emissions Fraud
Volkswagen said on Friday that it would seek financial compensation from its former chief executive and the former head of the Audi division, accusing them of failing to act after learning that diesel vehicles sold in the United States were fitted with illegal emissions-cheating software.
The decision by the German carmakers supervisory board marks a turnabout. Volkswagen had been reluctant to publicly accuse former top managers of complicity in the emissions fraud, which has cost Volkswagen tens of billions of euros in fines, settlements and legal fees.
At the same time, the supervisory board said it found no breaches of duty by other executives who were members of Volkswagens management board in September 2015, when the scandal came to light.
That group includes Herbert Diess, now the chief executive of Volkswagen, who had joined the company two months earlier from BMW. Hans Dieter Pötsch, now chairman of the supervisory board, was chief financial officer and a member of the Volkswagen management board at the time, a position he had held for more than a decade.
Volkswagens supervisory board said that in a statement on Friday that a law firm hired to review evidence in the case found that , the former chief executive, failed to comprehensively and promptly clarify the circumstances behind the use of unlawful software functions after learning about the misconduct in July 2015.
Remember You Might Not Qualify
Theres a chance you dont qualify for the entire stimulus check under the new relief plan, as I wrote about for the Deseret News.
Related
Individuals who make $80,000 or less and married couples making $160,000 or less will receive a stimulus check up to $1,400 per person, as I wrote for the Deseret News.
- Those who earn $75,000 or less will get the full amount of $1,400.
- But the checks will diminish in value for those who make between $75,000 to $80,000 .
Read Also: Irs Sending Letters About Stimulus 2021
Your Payment Hasnt Been Processed Yet
If you havent received a direct deposit or physical payment and the IRS Get My Payment Tool says Payment status not available, dont panic.
On that same page it should also state that If you get this message, either we have not yet processed your payment, or you are not eligible for a payment.
The eligibility requirements have changed from the last two rounds of payments, so pay attention to the new numbers to make sure you actually qualify this time around.
If the message you get from the Get My Payment Tool says Need more information, then your payment was returned to the IRS because it was unable to be delivered. In this case only, people who get this message can use Get My Payment to enter their correct bank account information. For direct deposit, this includes the name of your bank, your bank account number and your routing number. Do not try to contact the IRS via phone to provide bank information.
Know that the IRS only updates the Get My Payment Tool information once per day, typically overnight, so refreshing throughout the day wont yield any new information.
Stimulus Check: How To Check If Your Payment Is Late
The first thing to check is how youre supposed to be getting your stimulus check, and how long its been since the IRS has sent the payment. That information is available in the Get My Payment app.
Direct deposit is the fastest method and should arrive in our account within five days after the IRS authorizes the payment. A check sent through the mail to a standard address will take up to four weeks, six weeks to a forwarded address, and nine weeks to a foreign address.
You should also receive a letter from the IRS around 15 days after it sent your third stimulus check, regardless of how the payment was sent. This is called “Notice 1444, your Economic Impact Payment.” Keep hold of this as its needed for claiming a missing payment.
If your payment still hasnt arrived after receiving the letter, or after the allocated arrival period has passed, youre going to want to file a Payment Trace with the IRS.
Recommended Reading: Irs Stimulus Check 3 Calculator
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.
How Can You Correct Mistakes
The IRS sends out Notice 1444 by mail within 15 days of making a direct deposit or sending a paper check. That letter will tell you the amount of your stimulus payment and how it was made. The letter also provides instructions on fixing issues with your payment.
Don’t Respond to Telephone Calls or Texts About Your Stimulus Check
The IRS will not call, text, or email you about your stimulus payment. The Federal Trade Commission is warning that thieves are posing as government employees to prey on stimulus payment recipients. These scammers may ask for your personal information or threaten you that if you don’t send the money back in the form of money transfers or gift cards, you’ll lose your drivers’ license. Ignore these communications.
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Read Also: How To Check For Stimulus Check 2021
Why Your $600 Stimulus Check Is Missing Or Late
It was a near thing, but at the end of 2020, Americans run roughshod by the pandemic and the ongoing economic crisis got the tiniest of breaks: another small, one-time relief payment from the federal government. Even those who wanted or could use more help were happy to see that money appear in their checking accounts. Not everybody who qualified for the payments has seen them arrive, though.
Millions of taxpayers who have been eagerly refreshing the IRS’s Get My Payment tool have learned that their payments may already have been disbursed just not to their bank accounts. One banking industry source told CNN that up to 13 million people may have seen their stimulus checks paid out into an old or unrecognizable bank account, if they had previously received a stimulus check or managed their tax filing through direct deposit. Other reasons for the error could include changing your bank since your last filing.
Video of the Day
Maybe You’re Not Eligible For The Third Stimulus Check
Before you move on to the other reasons listed, make sure you actually qualify for the third stimulus check.
The problem: New income limits to your AGI mean that some people who qualified to get the first two payments aren’t eligible to receive the third check. If you get a stimulus check for 2019 for more money than you’re eligible to receive for your 2020 taxes, you don’t need to return the money . If your 2020 taxes mean you qualify for more money than you get, you’ll be able to claim a make-up payment.
What to do: Brush up on the stimulus check requirements, including by calculating your stimulus check total. Then, compare this figure to what you actually receive. A new change this time around means that if your income is over the limit, you won’t get a partial check — no matter how many dependents you have.
Don’t Miss: When Should I Expect My Third Stimulus Check
I Claimed An Adult Dependent On My 2019 Or 2020 Taxes But That Person Is No Longer My Dependent What Should I Do
Check with your dependent to find out if theyve already filed a tax return since their dependent status ended. They may have already received a stimulus payment of their own. If they have not filed their own tax return and you receive a larger payment that accounts for your former dependent, you dont need to return it.
Did Not File In 2018 Or 2019
Another reason why you havent received your stimulus check is because you did not file your taxes in 2018 or 2019. If you did file in 2018 and are not planning on filing in 2019, then the IRS needs updated information.
However, if you did not file taxes in 2018 or 2019, the IRS developed a web page where you can enter in information to make sure you receive your stimulus check.
Please note: If you receive disability, social security, railroad retiree or survivor benefits, the IRS will be sending you a check. You do not need to enter in your information on the web page or take action, as checks will be issued soon.
Recommended Reading: How Will I Get My Stimulus Check
You Have New Or Older Dependents
Some people may get their checks quickly, but find that the amounts are incorrect that could most likely be due to their dependents.
The third stimulus check entitles dependents to receive $1,400 each, but the IRS might not be aware of your children in some cases. For instance, if you had a baby in 2020 but haven’t yet filed your tax return, the IRS will rely on your 2019 tax return to determine how much you are owed, which won’t show the new child because they hadn’t yet been born.
Example: A couple with a baby born in 2020 should receive $4,200, but if the IRS doesn’t have their 2020 tax return, it will issue a payment of $2,800 for the two adults in the family. But IRS and Treasury officials said March 12 that families in this situation can be assured they will eventually get the additional $1,400 for their baby.
When they file their 2020 tax return, the IRS will check if they are owed more, such as in the case of a baby born last year. If that happens, the IRS will automatically issue the additional $1,400 check to the family, officials said.
Similar issues could occur for people who normally don’t file tax returns and who used the non-filers tool to report their dependents last year. Because the first two rounds of checks excluded dependents above the age of 17, the IRS didn’t count older teens and adult dependents on the non-filer tool.
Didnt Get Your Stimulus Check On Wednesday Heres Why It Could Be Delayed
MLive file photo
An estimated 90 million people have already received their portion of the third round of stimulus checks approved as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The vast majority of those checks were sent out Wednesday morning as the IRS finalized that date as when the payments would be made for the first wave of checks.
However, not everyone has received their $1,400 per-person checks. There are several factors that could be causing a delay in payment processing. If you are unsure of when you can expect to receive your check, the IRS Get My Payment tool is available to give you an estimate. It can also tell you some of the issues that need to be resolved before you can receive your check.
Here is a look at some of the reasons why your check may not have arrived just yet:
You no longer qualify because of your income
One of the major issues lawmakers battled over with the bill was income thresholds for those who would qualify for checks. It was eventually agreed on that single tax payers needed to earn less than $75,000 on their latest tax filing in order to receive the full $1,400. Those who earned between $75,000 and $80,000 saw their checks diminish by $100 per $1,000 over $75,000. Single tax payers who earned over $80,000 received nothing.
Couples who earned under $150,000 combined were eligible for full checks as well. However, if couple earned more than $160,000 combined, they received nothing.
You arent receiving the money via direct deposit
Also Check: What’s Included In The New Stimulus Package
Here’s What To Know Now That The Irs Has Stopped Sending Stimulus Checks
How to see if your second payment is still on the way, why some may have to wait weeks or months for their money to arrive and what to do next if you still don’t receive your stimulus check.
The IRS deadline to send out stimulus checks has passed. Now what?
Either way, if your check hasn’t appeared by Feb. 12 when the IRS officially begins to process tax returns, you can claim your outstanding $600 payment for each qualifying adult and child dependent in the form of a Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2020 federal tax return.
We’ll explain all the information you need to gather to find or claim your missing payment — including three options to help track your stimulus money now, how to match your stimulus estimate to what you actually receive and how claiming a stimulus check credit could make your late payment come even slower to arrive. Yes, this includes any makeup payments for missing kids plus any money from your first check that you didn’t get. This story was recently updated.