Th Stimulus Check Update
There has been a lot of buzz over the past few months about whether there will be a 4th stimulus check. The chances that you can expect another check from the government largely depend on where you live.
While the federal government has been slow to approve a 4th stimulus check, there has been some action by the states. That means that even though you may not get another check from the IRS, you may still get a 4th stimulus check from your state government. In some cases, local cities are even offering a stimulus check to residents.
Read more below to find out whether you could be eligible for a 4th stimulus check.
Is A Fourth Stimulus Check Arriving In 2022
FILE This May 8, 2008, file photo shows blank checks on an idle press at the Philadelphia Regional Financial Center, which disburses payments on behalf of federal agencies in Philadelphia. AP
As of right now, there are no plans for a fourth stimulus check in 2022. That doesnt mean efforts for additional financial assistance amid the coronavirus pandemic are done.
A petition for U.S. adults and $1,000 for children has been signed by 2.97 million people. If it reaches 3 million signatures, the petition will become one of Change.orgs most-signed petitions.
And while that petition has garnered millions of signatures and widespread attention, it appears unlikely it will move Congress to act. Instead, efforts are underway to extend the expanded Child Tax Credit, a measure passed during Marchs American Rescue Plan. The child tax pays parents up to $300 a month for children ages 5 and younger and $250 per child age 6-17. The remainder of the money up to $1,800 can be claimed when filing 2021 taxes in 2022.
The payments started in July and are set to end in December unless extended by Congress.
The $2.2 trillion Build Back Better bill, passed by the House on Nov. 19 and currently before the U. S. Senate would extend the monthly payments through 2022, short of President Joe Bidens proposal to stretch them into 2025.
That measure faces an uphill battle.
Who will receive stimulus funds in 2022?
Fourth Stimulus Check Update: How Much And When Will It Arrive
What would such a package look like, and how money would be in each new stimulus check?
The $1,400 stimulus checks from the American Rescue Plan continue to go out, with another 2 million checks being sent last week in the latest round. Theyre expected to continue being distributed for a while longer, but in the meantime theres a push underway to pass a fourth stimulus package, joining the two that passed in 2020 and this years American Rescue Plan.
What would such a package look like, and how money would be in each new stimulus check?
Thats unclear, for now. The Biden Administration has not officially announced a proposal for a fourth stimulus, and its unclear if they will.
Back in January, per CBS News, a group of Democratic lawmakers led by Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota pushed for recurring $2,000 checks for the duration of the pandemic. The $2,000 figure came from a tweet from Omar, not from the groups letter.
“One more check is not enough during this public health and economic crisis, the group wrote at the time. “Many families cannot afford to wait for eight months between payments. To truly build back better, families need stability and certainty through ongoing relief they cannot be at the mercy of congressional gridlock.
More recently, a group of Democratic senators called for a fourth stimulus, in a letter to President Biden.
Recommended Reading: Who’s Eligible For The Third Stimulus Check
Parents Are More Likely Than Non
Although there’s little appetite in Washington D.C. for a fourth stimulus check to be distributed to everyone, there is some bipartisan support for an expanded Child Tax Credit.
The last stimulus bill, the American Rescue Plan Act, made more money available to parents by changing the current rules for the existing Child Tax Credit. Parents were eligible to receive up to $3,600 for children under age 6 and up to $3,000 for kids aged 6 to 17.
While Republicans aren’t in favor of doing exactly what the American Rescue Plan Act did for parents, those on the right have put forth various proposals to also expand this tax credit. And there’s broad support on the left for more financial help to parents.
New Checks Coming This Month
Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Florida, West Virginia or Mississippi… is your state on the ? We’ve got updates from all the states handing out economic help.
States across the US are looking to provide an extra economic boost to their citizens in tough times and have been doing so with various forms of stimulus checks.
This state financial aid is being welcomed by families across various US states. At this time of difficulty, those living in states with their own stimulus checks are able to better cope with the aftermath of the pandemic.
These stimulus checks are benefits that have been given out by governments to low-income and medium-income families, helping Americans to cope financially with the challenges brought about by COVID-19. There have been federal stimulus checks sent out by the US government and now certain states are making similar payments to their own citizens. As a result, families across the United States are eager to find out whether or not they will be eligible for such forms of aid, and that is why we have decided to take a look at what various states’ are preparing in regards to stimulus checks and other forms of economic help.
Below, we have outlined states where stimulus checks are either being prepared or debated, or where money is already being given out to residents. We’ll also explain how to qualify for these fourth stimulus checks.
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Congress Previously Acted Quickly To Get Relief To Americans Affected By The Pandemic
When the US and the world were put on lockdown, millions of workers were confined to their homes sending the unemployment rate skyrocketing to 14.7 percent in April 2020. Congress acted rapidly to pass the 2020 CARES Act to get relief to businesses and households, including the first round of stimulus checks of up to $1,200 for eligible adults and $500 per qualifying kid under age 17.
Congress also passed generous enhanced pandemic unemployment benefits which kept households afloat where workers businesses were shuttered or they had to stay home because of pandemic-induced upheavals in their lives. Those benefits were extended in 2020 and again in 2021 but have now ceased, being seen by some as the reason behind a severe labor shortage in the US.
Two more rounds of stimulus checks were also passed in the interim of up to $2,000 in total. They are credited with supercharging the economic recovery which had begun to lag at the end of 2020 as a new variant caused infections to surge. But the last one has also been blamed for the current high rate of inflation.
Number of unemployed people per job opening unchanged at 0.6 in December 2021 #BLSdata
BLS-Labor Statistics
Social Security Payments For November: When Is Your Money Coming
Two more November checks for Social Security beneficiaries will be sent out soon. Here’s how the schedule works.
Katie Teague
Writer
Katie is a writer covering all things how-to at CNET, with a focus on Social Security and notable events. When she’s not writing, she enjoys playing in golf scrambles, practicing yoga and spending time on the lake.
The Social Security Administration has disbursed three payments so far this month — two to Social Security beneficiaries and one to Supplemental Security Income recipients. Starting in January 2023, you’ll receive your benefits increase on your check that starts in . We’ll explain why below and how the timing of Social Security payments works.
You’ll get a letter in the mail in December about your Social Security benefits increase for 2023. It’ll have details about your individual benefit rate increase for next year — you can also access your benefits online on the Social Security Administration’s website. Just make sure you sign up for a My Social Security account by Nov. 15.
Read more: Stimulus Checks: 18 States Are Sending Tax Rebates to Residents
Read Also: Is The $1 200 Stimulus Check Taxable
Stimulus Check Missing Payment Issues Or Errors
The IRS will also be mailing Stimulus Payment letters to each eligible recipients last known address 15 days after the payment is made. The letter will provide information on how the Payment was made and how to report any failure to receive the Payment. Note that the IRS or other government departments will not contact you about your stimulus check payment details either.
Why didnt I get a stimulus check? Remember that the IRS has to have your direct deposit details, which is normally only provided if you received a 2018 or 2019 refund. If you file a return and they cannot use their portal to add direct deposit details, then your payment will come via check which could take several weeks. At this checks will likely start arriving at your IRS registered address from the end of April.
Finally you will also likely be able to claim any missing payments in your 2020 tax return as a tax credit. All this unfortunately will mean delays in getting your stimulus payment until issues are worked through.
Oregon: Direct Payments Of $600
In March 2022, the Oregon legislature voted to approve one-time $600 payments to some residents. Taxpayers who were eligible to receive the earned income tax credit on their 2020 state tax return, and who lived in Oregon for the last six months of 2020, were eligible to receive one payment per household.
The state used federal pandemic aid to provide these direct payments to low-income residents, and more than 236,000 households received a payment. All payments were distributed by direct deposit or mailed check between June 23 and July 1, 2022.
The Oregon Department of Revenue website contains FAQs for residents with concerns about receiving their payment.
Read Also: Can I Still Claim My First Stimulus Check
What Do Tax Topic 152 Tax Topic 151 And Irs Error Messages Mean
Although the IRS Wheres My Refund tool will generally show one of the three main statuses Received, Approved or Sent for your refund, there are a wide variety of messages and notices that some users may see.
One of the most common is Tax Topic 152, a generic message indicating that youre likely getting a refund, but it hasnt been approved or sent yet. The notice simply links out to an informational topic page on the IRS FAQ website explaining the types and timing of tax refunds.
During the 2022 tax season, many Reddit tax filers who filed early received the Tax Topic 152 notice from the Wheres My Refund tool accompanied by a worrisome message: We apologize, but your return processing has been delayed beyond the normal time frame. You can continue to check back here for the most up to date information regarding your refund. We understand your tax refund is very important and we are working to process your return as quickly as possible.
The purported delay could be an automated message designed for taxpayers claiming the child tax credit or earned income tax credit. Due to additional fraud protection steps, the earliest filers with those credits can receive their refunds will be March 1. Several Reddit users commented that the message eventually cleared and they received notifications their refunds were sent.
Read Also: Who Gets A Third Stimulus Check
What Are Stimulus Checks
A stimulus check is an amount of money sent by the U.S. government to a taxpayer. These checks have the purpose of stimulating the economy, giving consumers some extra money that they can spend.
Once the consumers spend this money, it will boost the consumption and drive revenue towards manufacturers and retailers therefore, giving the economy a boost. Stimulus checks can be larger federal packages, as it was with the apparition of the 2020 CARES Act.
That being said, stimulus checks were used during the Great Depression as well a moment when the economy also found itself at a standstill. If the taxpayer has a recorded debit card, then they will receive their money into that account. However, in its absence, taxpayers can also receive stimulus checks in the mail.
Recommended Reading: How To See If You Get A Stimulus Check
Read Also: Is 2021 Stimulus Check Taxable
With Unemployment Numbers Improving Don’t Expect A Fourth Stimulus Check
The stimulus checks were sent out at a time when the economy was stagnant, as a result of coronavirus restrictions. There was a need for a boost, but now the economy is recovering naturally.
The pre-coronavirus pandemic unemployment rate was 3.7% and it got all the way down to 3.8% in February 2022, so it’s basically back to what it was.
This is good news in general as more and more Americans are earning an income again, which reduces the need for another stimulus check in the view of politicians.
What Is A Plus
A plus-up payment is basically just a bonus amount that you probably should have gotten the first time you filed your taxes. The IRS actually owes more money to some people based on their tax returns. If the IRS used your 2019 tax information to dish out your stimulus payment but your 2020 taxes show that it underpaid youyou might be in for a plus-up payment based on your income. But remember, this isnt for everyoneonly those who had a change in income or dependents would qualify for more stimulus money.
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Pros Of Taking The Monthly Child Tax Credit Payments
- You can use the money now. If youre having a hard time making ends meet, this is a great way to have extra cash flow to keep a roof over your head and feed your family.
- You can keep more money in your own pocket during the year. And Im a really big fan of thatbut only if it doesnt create a tax mess for you when it comes time to file your 2021 taxes.
- You dont have to jump through any extra hoops. If youve filed your taxes in 2019 or 2020 and want to get the advance child tax payments, you dont have to do anything else or sign up for anything. Youre automatically enrolled and are all set.
- You wont have that lump sum. We know some people like to use their tax refund as a glorified savings account. They get a big refund and cant wait to spend it on something theyve wanted all year. But if youve been around here for a while, youve heard me tell you to set up your tax withholding so that youre getting the most money you can in your paycheck. Which means youll be getting less money in your tax return each year . But keeping more money in your actual paycheck means you can put your hard-earned dollars toward your goals now. Its silly to let the government hang on to your money until tax time. Its your money!
Economic Recovery For Some
Relief payments were intended to ease COVID’s economic impact and support the economy in the process. The third round of relief payments started back in March, courtesy of the American Rescue Plan . Over the following months, about 169 million people received up to $1,400 each. That accounted for nearly all of the $422 billion set aside. The ARP checks closely followed the $600 payments from January, which came nine months after the $1,200 payments from the pandemic’s early days. They seem to have worked, but have also helped many who didn’t actually need the money.
In the third quarter of 2021, the U.S. economy grew at an annualized rate of 2.0 percent, according to the most recent estimate from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. That’s a major slowdown from the torrid pace in the second quarter, which saw 6.7 percent growth. The Conference Board forecasts continued though slower growth through the rest of the year. The country’s gross domestic product , an estimate of economic activity across the U.S., has surpassed pre-pandemic levels. By that general measure, the economy has fully recovered.
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Can You Track Your Stimulus Online
Considering that not everyone receives their money at the same time, the need for a tracking system is also understandable. With that in mind, todays technology makes it very easy for you to track your stimulus online. This is why the IRS set up Get My Payment last week so that you can see exactly where your payment is at.
With this tool, you may see precisely when your stimulus check is supposed to arrive whether you are supposed to get it in your bank account or the mail. This tool will also tell you whether there is an issue with the pending payment or not. This will give you time to address it so that you may receive the payment in the end.
What Is The Child Tax Credit
The Child Tax Credit is a type of tax credit given by the government based on how many dependents you have. And it took a big leap this year thanks to the American Rescue Plan. During a normal year, you can claim your kids and get a maximum tax credit of $2,000 for each qualifying child under age 17.1 That means if you owe income taxes, then the Child Tax Credit lowers your tax bill. And if it lowers it so much that now Uncle Sam owes you money, then you can get a refund of up to $1,400 per kidpretty nice.2
Usually, parents have to wait until after they file their taxes for their refund to come rolling in. But thats all changing for your 2021 taxes . With the tax credit, youre automatically enrolled to get half of your refund paid to you up front through monthly payments starting in July 2021 and wrapping up by December 2021. The other half of your refund would be paid out to you after you officially file your 2021 taxes next year.
Basically, the thought process here is that families in need could get their hands on that refund money earlier to help them take care of their immediate needs now. The State of Personal Finance study from Ramsey Solutions found that 35% of parents say this money will go toward paying their bills.
Now, this thing isnt a stimulus check, but its almost like it in a wayalthough this money is coming from the tax return money the government would already be giving to you at tax time. Youre just getting a slice of it sooner.
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