How To Claim A Missing Payment
You may be eligible to claim a Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2020 or 2021 federal tax return if you didn’t get an Economic Impact Payment or got less than the full amount.
It is important to understand that the Economic Impact Payments applied to different tax years. Depending on whether you missed the first, second or third payment, you will need to file either a 2020 or 2021 tax return to claim a Recovery Rebate Credit.
Can You Track Your Stimulus Check
Originally Published: Originally Published:4 min read
UPDATE: Money first published this story in April 2020. The federal government has since approved a second and, more recently, third round of coronavirus stimulus checks.
You can use the Get My Payment tool on the IRS website to track your stimulus check. After briefly going offline last week, it’s now up and running with current information.
Read more about the third stimulus check timeline here.
It sounds like a question on a high school physics quiz: The government is giving you $1,200. You’re not sure when it’s being sent or when you’ll receive it. How can you determine where the money is?
This is what millions of Americans are asking about their coronavirus stimulus payments, which started going out last week. The IRS is in charge, but it’s still scary to think about an important $1,200 check getting lost in the mail .
Here’s what we know about how to find out where your relief money is.
Are Stimulus Checks Mailed First Class
Millions of Economic Impact Payments have already arrived in people’s bank accounts via direct deposit, but those that are being delivered via snail mail are taking longer than expected for many eligible recipients. … She confirmed that the payments are being sent first class and handled at that service standard.
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H& r Block Turbotax Problems
Intuit’s TurboTax on Tuesday also tweeted that some customers were having problems receiving their stimulus checks. “The IRS announced yesterday that due to the speed at which they issued this second round of payments, they sent some payments to an account that may be closed or no longer active,” the tax-prep service said.
The IRS said checks sent to closed or inactive accounts can’t by law be held by the financial institutions and redirected to consumers. Instead the funds will be returned to the IRS, and people who didn’t receive a check must wait until they file their 2020 tax returns to get the stimulus money in a refund. Because of that, it’s likely that those customers will face a delay.
Some customers responded on social media that they had panicked after failing to receive their funds as expected, with some expressing concern they had been a victim of fraud.
Meanwhile, the IRS said on Monday that the direct deposits could take “several days” to post to individual accounts after the official payment day of January 4. It added that some people may see their stimulus checks listed as pending or as provisional payments in their accounts.
Here’s what to know about tracking your payment.
Also Check: Set Up Direct Deposit For Stimulus Check
What To Do If The Irs ‘needs More Information’
If the Get My Payment tool gave you a payment date but you still haven’t received your money, the IRS may need more information. Check the Get My Payment tool again and if it reports “Need More Information,” this could indicate that your check has been returned because the post office was unable to deliver it, an IRS representative told CNET. Here are more details on how the tracker tool works and what the messages mean.
What If The Irs Has The Wrong Bank Account
Unfortunately, the IRS says you can’t change the bank account it has on file for you unless you get the “Need More Information” message. The IRS is initially relying on bank account information that people gave it through a variety of ways: their 2020 tax return, their 2019 tax return if their 2020 return isn’t yet filed, information you gave the IRS on the “Get My Payment” site last year or information you entered through the “Non-filer” portal last year.
It will also tap federal agencies such as the Social Security Administration or Veteran Affairs to get bank account information for people who receive benefits through those agencies.
So what happens if your bank account changed since you provided that information to the IRS? The bad news is you may have a delay in getting your funds but you will eventually get them, the IRS insists. The agency said payments that are sent to accounts that have been closed will be returned to the tax agency. At that point, the IRS will send a payment through paper check or pre-paid debit card to your mailing address.
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How Do I Check On The Status Of My Payment
The IRS created an online tool, called Get My Payment, that can be used to check on the status of your money. It launched Wednesday and is available on the IRS website.
Youll need to enter your Social Security number, date of birth and mailing address in order to track your payment, the Treasury Department said.
Some people who used the tool on Wednesday received a message that their payment status was not available. The Treasury Department suggested checking again because it only updates the tool once daily, usually overnight.
‘payment Status Not Available’: Why
The IRS says that millions of taxpayers have successfully used the new Get My Payment app to track their stimulus checks and, if needed, add their direct deposit information to get payment faster. So why are countless people complaining on social media that they entered their information at the app only to receive a frustrating “Payment Status Not Available” message?
In some cases, there could be glitches with the Get My Payment app itself that are preventing people from adding direct deposit information or finding out the expected date for their payments to arrive. Among other quirks, the system may give you a “Payment Status Not Available Message” if you owed $0 in taxes and received no refund on your most recent tax return, the Washington Post reported, because the IRS form gave an error message for people entering “0” in those corresponding spots.
The Get My Payment app went offline during certain late-night hours on Thursday, April 23, through Saturday, April 25, for “planned maintenance.” On April 26, the IRS announced “significant enhancements” to the app, though the agency did not specify which glitches had been fixed. “We urge people who havent received a payment date yet to visit Get My Payment again for the latest information,” IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig said in a statement. “IRS teams worked long hours to deliver Get My Payment in record time, and we will continue to make improvements to help Americans.”
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You Get Social Security
Social Security recipients and people receiving Social Security disability benefits or Railroad Retirement benefits are eligible for stimulus checks, and they do not have to file taxes in order to receive a payment. However, if anyone in these groups has a dependent under age 17 and does not file taxes, they should add that information at the IRS’s “Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info Here” page in order to get an extra $500 per child.
The first people to get stimulus checks are those who have filed tax returns and have their direct deposit info on file with the IRS. People who receive Social Security or the other benefits mentioned above fall into a second category, and they will receive their payments in the next wave of deposits from the IRS. These people can expect their payments to show up in their bank accounts by the end of April, if not sooner. On the other hand, if federal agencies do not have your bank info on file, your payment will come in the mail as a paper check, and that process could take much longer.
How To Track The Status Of Your Stimulus Check
The IRS has created a Get My Payment portal so you can learn the status of your payment. It provides updates on whether the IRS is processing your check or has already scheduled your payment whether your payment will be made by a paper check, prepaid debit card or through direct deposit to your bank account and whether there are problems holding up your payment.
To use this portal, you must input your Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number along with your date of birth, street address and postal code. The IRS updates its status tracking information daily. You should get a letter about 15 days after the IRS issues your payment telling you how much you received and how you received it.
After using the IRS tracker, you may sign up for a free service from the post office that tells you exactly when your stimulus check will arrive in the mail.
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What To Know About Adding Your Direct Deposit Details
You can’t use the Get My Payment tool to sign up for a new account or correct details about your payment. Even if the IRS is unable to deliver your payment to a bank account and the money is returned to the government, you won’t be able to correct the details online — the IRS says it will send the money again by mail.
The extended tax deadline was May 17. With the agency’s delay in processing tax returns, trying to register for a new direct deposit account with your 2020 tax return won’t get you into the system quickly enough. However, if you haven’t submitted your taxes yet, signing up for a new direct deposit account could still get you IRS money faster in the future, such as tax refunds or the upcoming child tax credit.
When Will I Get The Recovery Rebate Credit
You will most likely get the Recovery Rebate Credit as part of your tax refunds. If you electronically file your tax return, you will likely receive your refund within 3 weeks. If you mail your return, it can take at least 8 weeks to receive your refund.
Claiming the Recovery Rebate Credit will not delay your tax refund. However, if you dont claim the correct amount of the Recovery Rebate Credit, your refund may be delayed while the IRS corrects the error on your return. The IRS will send you a notice of any changes made to your return.
You can check on the status of your refund using the IRS Check My Refund Status tool.
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What If I Am Eligible For The Stimulus Checks But I Didnt File A 2019 Or 2020 Tax Return And Didnt Use The Irs Non
File your 2020 tax return or use GetCTC.org if you dont have a filing requirement.
You can file a tax return even if you dont have a filing requirement to get other tax credits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit.
If you didnt get your first or second stimulus check or didnt get the full amount that you are eligible for, file a 2020 federal tax return and claim them as part of your tax refund or use GetCTC.org if you dont have a filing requirement. The deadline to use GetCTC.org is November 15, 2022.
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Stimulus Check Irs Phone Number: Where To Call
The IRS Economic Impact Payment phone number is 800-919-9835. You can call to speak with a live representative about your stimulus check.
Be prepared to sit on hold, though. If the automated responses can’t answer your questions and you’d like to talk to a live operator, you may join a long waiting list. Some people say they haven’t even been able to get through.
That’s why the IRS recommends using its dedicated stimulus check portal for fast assistance. It also reminds those who are eligible for a stimulus check but aren’t required to file a tax return to use the Non-Filers tool to register for their payment.
Looking for more information about stimulus checks? Check out our stimulus check FAQ page for answers to common payment questions.
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What Does Need More Information Mean
Others may see a “need more information” message, which the tax agency said means the payment was returned to the IRS because the U.S. Postal Service wasn’t able to deliver the check. In that case, people can use the “Get My Payment” site to provide the IRS with bank information but the tax agency said that only people who get the “need more information” message will be able to add their bank information to the portal.
How To Track Your $1400 Stimulus Payment From The Irs
Samantha Smith, Digital Content Manager
Wondering where your $1,400 stimulus check is? Heres how you can check.
President Biden signed the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill last Thursday, and the White House has said that some people could see their checks as early as this past weekend.
If you havent gotten your check yet, dont worry. The IRS has a tool that you can use to track the status of your relief payment.
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When Will I Receive My Stimulus Check How Do I Track The Status Of My Stimulus Check
Eligible taxpayers who filed a tax return in 2019 or 2018 and chose to receive their refund through direct deposit into their checking or savings account will automatically have their stimulus payment deposited into that account.
To find out when your stimulus check is coming, visit the IRS Get My Payment tool.
If the Get My Payment site says, Payment status not available its for one of the following reasons:
- The IRS hasnt finished processing your 2019 return, Stimulus Registration, or IRS Non-Filers entry.
- Get My Payment doesnt have your data yet.
- If you receive Social Security, VA benefits, SSA or RRB Form 1099 and dont typically file a return, your information isnt available in Get My Payment yet.
- Youre not eligible for a payment.
Get My Payment information is only updated once per day, so if you receive a Payment status not available message check back the following day to see if your status has changed.
Why You Get A ‘payment Status Not Available’ Message
You can use the Get My Payment app to find out the projected date when your deposit is scheduled to arrive in your bank account. The Get My Payment tool will also tell you if you’re set to receive payment by paper check, along with a scheduled arrival date in the mail. However, there could be several reasons why you can’t get a status update on your stimulus payment right now.
The IRS says that through midday on Wednesday, April 15, that over 6 million taxpayers had successfully found out their payment status through the new Get My Payment app. If instead, your inquiry resulted in a “Payment Status Not Available” message, the IRS says that this could be because:
- You are not eligible for a payment.
- You have not filed a tax return in tax year 2018 or 2019.
- You filed your tax return recently and it’s still being processed, or you provided information through Non-Filers: Enter Your Payment Info on IRS.gov.
- You receive Social Security, or are a RRB Form 1099 recipient, SSI or VA benefit recipient. Status updates for these recipients is not yet available through the Get My Payment app.
Here are more explanations for why you can’t get a payment status update, or why your check simply hasn’t come yet. If you cannot get a status update on your payment, the IRS says that you should check back 24 hours later and try again then.
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What Can Get My Payment Tell Me
The Get My Payment portal launched soon after the CARES Act, which included the first stimulus payment. The Internal Revenue Service tool is designed to give status information to those expecting stimulus payments. However, the IRSs responses on the site sometimes require some clarification.
Many people will receive a payment status message stating that their payment has been processed. The message will also include a payment date and how the payment is to be sent, meaning direct deposit or mail. Other people will be told that theyre eligible, though the payment is awaiting processing. No date will be given, because it is pending.
Get My Payment may also state that your payment status is not available. That could mean that the IRS has not processed the payment, does not enough information to send out a payment, or the potential recipient is ineligible.
The portal could instead say that more information is needed. That means the post office failed to deliver your payment and returned it to the IRS. According to the Agency, the best way to update an address is to submit a 2020 tax return.
The tool could also tell you to try again later. The system limits a user to three failed login attempts and five successful logins over 24 hours. So receiving this message could mean that your information doesnt match what the IRS has on file or that you have logged in too many times.
