You’re Married And Filed A Joint Tax Return
If you’re married and filed a joint tax return, half of your third stimulus payment might be delayed. That’s because the IRS is sending two separate payments to some joint filers. The first half may come as a direct deposit, which you may have already received. But the other half is then mailed to the address the IRS has on file, which is generally the address on your most recent tax return or as updated through the U.S. Postal Service. The second payment could come the same week as the first oneor it might not arrive for a few weeks.
If you’re a joint filer and only get half of what you should have received, both you and your spouse should check the IRS’s “Get My Payment” tool separately using your own Social Security number to see the status of your payments.
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.
How To Claim Your Money If Your First Or Second Stimulus Check Never Arrived
What to do if you never received any stimulus check depends on your situation. If you never got your money or a confirmation letter from the IRS saying your first payment was sent, you will likely have to file for the money as a Recovery Rebate Credit with your 2020 taxes this year. Youll need to use the 2020 Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR to claim a catch-up payment when filing before the April 15 deadline.
The IRS will provide a Recovery Rebate Credit Worksheet if youre missing a payment and determine how much. If youre part of the group that doesnt usually file taxes , youll likely still need to file this year. You should also save your IRS letter Notice 1444 Your Economic Impact Payment with your 2020 tax records, as youll need it to file the claim.
You can also file for this Recovery Rebate Credit if you didnt receive the correct amount of money for your child dependents in your first or second check.
However, there could be other instances where your money didnt come through. Contact the IRS if:
- The Get My Payment tracking tool reported the IRS made your payment weeks ago, and you didnt get it.
- You received a confirmation letter from the IRS that your payment was sent, but you didnt get the funds.
- You think you accidentally threw out your prepaid EIP debit card or check.
- You suspect someone stole your check or defrauded you.
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What To Do If There’s A Direct Deposit Issue
The IRS tracking tool for the third stimulus check doesn’t allow you to add direct deposit information this time unless the IRS can’t deliver your payment. So if you have a problem, what do you do? Your check may have bounced back to the IRS if the agency tried to send your payment to a now-closed bank account or to a temporary prepaid debit card a tax preparer set up for you. If your payment was returned to the IRS, the agency will mail your check to the current address it has on file for you. If that check is returned, then the IRS will let you enter your banking information in the Get My Payment tool, the IRS said.
First, we suggest you call your bank or tax preparer — it never hurts to cover all your bases to confirm that an attempt was made to deposit money into a closed account or debit card.
Unfortunately, you’ll need to wait and monitor the Get My Payment tracker to keep tabs on your check delivery. We also recommend signing up for a free service to track your check to your mailbox.
What If I Already Filed My Return And My Refund Was Adjusted
If you are filed your 2020 or 2021 tax return before starting a trace and did not include the payment amount on line 16 or 19 of the Recovery Rebate Credit Worksheet, you may receive a notice saying your Recovery Rebate Credit was adjusted.
After the trace has been completed and it is determined your payment has not been cashed, an adjustment will be made and a check sent to the taxpayer. You will not need to take any additional action to receive the credit.
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Your Financial Situation Changed From 2019 To 2020
Any changes to your financial situation in 2020 may affect your payment amount and receipt.
For most people, this will result from job or income loss due to the pandemic. If your income was higher than the phaseout thresholds in 2019, but your hours were cut or you only worked for part of 2020, you can claim the stimulus money you didnt receive using the Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2020 tax return.
If you had a baby in 2020, got married or divorced, you were previously claimed as a dependent, or you have a child who aged out of being claimed as a dependent, you may receive more after claiming the credit as well.
When youre ready to file 2020 federal taxes, an accountant or tax filing service may be helpful to clarify your exact eligibility. If you file on your own, your Form 1040 will include a Recovery Rebate Credit worksheet to help you determine the total amount youre eligible for.
What Happens If My Paper Check Or Debit Card Is Lost In The Mail
If you suspect that your first or second stimulus check or debit card was lost in the mail, the easiest course of action is to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2020 tax return.
If you suspect that your third stimulus check was lost in the mail, you still have time to request a payment trace.
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How To Track Your $600 California Golden State Stimulus Check
In February, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that qualifying Californians will receive a $600 Golden State stimulus check. The stimulus package was signed by Newsom on February 23, and a total of 5.7 million Californians will be eligible according to the governors office. $600 payments have started to go out to Californians on April 15th from The California Franchise Tax Board and will be received in the same way you received your tax return. For eligibility on the Golden State Stimulus click here! If eligible, the speed at which you will receive your payment depends on when you filed your taxes. The state must receive your 2020 taxes before the payment is sent and the deadline to send your taxes for the one-time payment is October 15, 2021. If your taxes were filed between January 1st and March 1st you can expect the Golden State Stimulus after April 15th. If you filed after March 2nd it can take up to 45 days to receive payment depending on the method of delivery.
The California Franchise Tax Board has a wait-time availability on their website for the Golden State Stimulus. Eligible residents can contact The California Franchise Tax Board by talking with a representative on their website or by calling 800-852-5711.
How Do I Find My Stimulus Money What To Do About A Missing $1400 Check
Your third stimulus payment could be delayed for a variety of reasons. We’ll help you track down your IRS payment.
Alison DeNisco Rayome
Managing Editor
Alison DeNisco Rayome is a managing editor at CNET, now covering home topics after writing about services and software. Alison was previously an editor at TechRepublic.
Clifford Colby
Managing Editor
Clifford is a managing editor at CNET, where he leads How-To coverage. He spent a handful of years at Peachpit Press, editing books on everything from the first iPhone to Python. He also worked at a handful of now-dead computer magazines, including MacWEEK and MacUser. Unrelated, he roots for the Oakland A’s.
To date, the IRS has made 169 million payments for the third round of stimulus checks for $1,400. The agency continues to send weekly batches of payments, so there is still time if you are waiting for your money. However, there could actually be an issue with your payment and the IRS doesn’t want you to call them with problems related to a missing check.
Reasons for a delay could include a lag in mail delivery , if the IRS has incorrect direct deposit information for you or if the agency suspects identity theft. There might be other problems if you’re a recipient of SSI, SSDI or veterans benefits. Or maybe you received a letter from the IRS saying that your $1,400 payment was sent, but the check never arrived. Then what?
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Will I Still Receive A Direct Deposit If I Havent Gotten It Already
The short answer yes. But it depends on a few factors.
Californians who received a Golden State Stimulus check should receive a direct deposit by Tuesday, Oct. 25.
If you did not receive the Golden State Stimulus, but are still eligible for the inflation relief payment, you should see the direct deposit between Oct. 28 and Nov. 14, according to the state,
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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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Will I Receive A Separate Check Or Payment For My Recovery Rebate Credit
No. Your Recovery Rebate Credit will reduce your federal income tax in the year it is claimed on a dollar-for-dollar basis.
For example, if you would have owed $1,000 in federal income tax before claiming a $1,200 Recovery Rebate Credit, the credit would eliminate your balance due and entitle you to a $200 federal tax refund payable by direct deposit or paper check.
How To Get Missing Funds From Previous Stimulus Payments
If you’re certain you meet the qualifications to receive the first or second stimulus check, what to do next depends on your situation.
If you never got your money or a confirmation letter from the IRS that your payment was sent, you needed to file for the money on your tax return this year. We’ve got full instructions for how to file for your recovery rebate credit here, but basically, you’ll use the 2020 Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR to claim a catch-up payment. However, the last day to file your taxes has passed, so this will only work for those who filed a tax extension.
The tax return instructions include a worksheet to figure out the amount of any recovery rebate credit for which you’re eligible, according to the IRS. If you’re part of a group that doesn’t usually file taxes , you’ll still need to file this year. You should also save your IRS letter — Notice 1444 Your Economic Impact Payment — with your 2020 tax records, as you’ll need it to file the claim.
You can also file for a Recovery Rebate Credit if you didn’t receive the correct amount of money for your child dependents in your first or second check. The same goes for parents of 2020 babies .
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Never Got Your Stimulus Payment The Irs Is Here To Help
Here’s What You Need to Remember: Fortunately, if your direct deposit never arrived and you never cashed your initial stimulus check, the IRS will mail you a replacement. The agency claims that this will on average take another six weeks, although the offices staffing shortages and the ongoing mailing of stimulus checks and plus-up payments could delay it longer.
It has now been more than two months since the March 2021 American Rescue Plan Act sent out the third round of $1400 stimulus checks.
In this case, it might be useful to request a payment trace from the IRS. Heres how.
1) Make Sure You Qualify
Before engaging the services of the IRS, its helpful to make sure that you qualify for payments.
Depending on your circumstances, you might also qualify for additional payments. The IRS has begun issuing plus-up payments supplementing the regular stimulus check, based on your 2020 tax return. If you had a child during the pandemic, for instance, you probably qualify for a plus-up payment.
2) Use the Get My Payment Tool
The IRS has provided a web tool updating users on the status of their stimulus checks. To use it, you need to enter your Social Security number, your address, and your date of birth. Once this is done, the IRS will display the status of your check and whether it has been dispatched or not.
3) Wait
To keep people from delaying them with unnecessary requests, the IRS has requested that a waiting period be observed before a payment trace is requested.
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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.
Donât 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 donât send the money back in the form of money transfers or gift cards, youâll lose your driversâ license. Ignore these communications.
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Common Questions And Answers About Late And Missing Stimulus Checks
The first stimulus checks went out in the second quarter of 2020. The second stimulus payment hit bank accounts and mailboxes in the first weeks of 2021. The third arrived a few weeks later, in March of 2021.
If youve yet to receive any of these payments, any number of issues could be in play. Use these common stimulus payment questions and answers to assess your situation and determine how best to follow up with the IRS.
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