Fourth Stimulus Check Approval: Here’s What It’ll Take
The White House hasn’t responded to any of the proposals for additional stimulus checks, and the general sentiment is that a fourth stimulus check isn’t likely. Economists have suggested we’ve already moved past the pandemic’s worst financial woes, although there are signs that Americans could still use relief.
Experts certainly seem in agreement that there won’t be a fourth stimulus check. The latest stimulus package, the American Rescue Plan, is “gonna be the last on that front,” Deutsche Bank senior U.S. economist Brett Ryan told Fortune . “No more checks.”
Ed Mills, Washington policy analyst at Raymond James, agreed, telling CNBC recently “I think its unlikely at this time. D.C. has largely started to pivot towards the recovery and an infrastructure bill.”
Many economists and financial experts are worried that the third stimulus checks have contributed to a growing inflation rate. In June 2021, the core inflation rate, stripped of energy and food prices, rose 4.5% at an annual rate vs. the Dow Jones estimate of 3.8%. The overall consumer price index rose at an annualized 5.4% rate in June.
More Third Stimulus Payment Money For Some In 2022
Parents who added a child in 2021 could be getting up to $1,400 after they file their 2021 taxes this coming spring thanks to the American Rescue Plan. The money won’t come as a direct check but will be part of the overall tax return.
The 2021 Economic Impact Payment — colloquially known as the third stimulus check — was actually an advance on what is called the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit. What that means is that the $1,400 stimulus check most individual Americans received in 2021 is, in fact, money they would have gotten after filing their taxes in the spring of 2022 as a Recovery Rebate Credit.
In other words, millions of Americans already got part of their tax refund 12 months early.
“The bottom line is that’s money that’s going out almost immediately to millions of people as a tax credit in advance of putting it on a tax return in the next year,” said Raphael Tulino, IRS spokesman.
However, the IRS was going off of 2019 or 2020 tax returns for its information on the third EIP. It was using that information to determine if taxpayers would get stimulus money for their dependents. If eligible parents had a child born into their family in 2021, they can request the Recovery Rebate Credit on their taxes to get the payment for that child.
It gets more complicated with adoption because all the paperwork and processes to finalize the adoption must be completed first.
This does not pertain to the first or second stimulus payments that were paid in 2020.
The Biden Administration Hasnt Promoted Any Additional Stimulus Check Legislation
In March 2022, the Biden administration requested $22.5 billion from Congress to help support the nations pandemic response. But even that request didnt ask for additional direct payments to Americans. Rather, the White House sought $18.25 billion to go to the Department of Health and Human Services and $4.25 billion to go to the State Department and United States Agency for International Development. But this legislation was effectively shut down by the Senate.
In other words, even though the Biden administration has previously been in favor of direct stimulus checks, it is struggling to pass even pandemic-supporting legislation that it views as vital. This being the current political landscape, the chances of a fourth direct stimulus check are unlikely at best at this point.
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Do People Need A Fourth Stimulus Check
According to CNBC , there is a case for a fourth stimulus check that goes beyond the calls from lawmakers. The Economic Security Project, a progressive organization that advocates for guaranteed income no matter what the state of the economy, says there’s a need for more stimulus checks.
We need at least one more check, said Adam Ruben.
Ruben, the campaign director at the Economic Security Project, also said that stimulus checks should be “automatic,” and not stalled as they were last summer when second stimulus check negotiations caused a long gap between the $1,200 and $600 payments.
There are signs of recovery, though. The June jobs report showed a gain of 850,000, which was better than expected, according to The New York Times . That’s the strongest one-month gain since last summer.
Likewise, the Commerce Department said that gross domestic product had grown at an annualized rate of 6.5% for April through June of 2021, surpassing the figure it had reached before the pandemic, the Washington Post reported. However, that was less than the 8% GDP growth some economists had forecast.
Regardless, certain lawmakers are pushing for relief.
This unprecedented moment demands an unprecedented response. People dont only need relief, they need stability, certainty, and predictability and the ABC Act delivers them exactly that,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal .
However, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, didn’t appear to agree.
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.
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Increase The Child Tax Credit Earned
- For those without children, the American Rescue Plan increased the Earned-Income Tax Credit from $543 to $1,502.
- For those with children, the American Rescue Plan increased the Child Tax Credit from $2,000 per child to $3,000 per child for children over the age of six and $3,600 for children under the age of six and raised the age limit from 16 to 17.
- The American Rescue Plan also increased and expanded the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, making more people eligible and increasing the total credit to $4,000 for one qualifying individual and $8,000 for two or more.
Who Is Eligible For The Third Stimulus Check
For the first two stimulus payments, single taxpayers earning up to $75,000 a year and couples earning up to $150,000 a year were able to get the full amount. Parents also received stimulus payments for each dependent child under age 17.9,10
Those income limits didnt change for the third stimulus payment even though it targeted the payments to lower income earners. Under the American Rescue Plan, payments phased out for single filers making between $75,000 and $80,000 and couples making between $150,000 and $160,000.11
Eligibility for the third stimulus check also expanded to cover any non-child dependents. That means taxpayers who supported certain eligible dependents age 17 and older might have received more money too.12
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When Will The New Stimulus Payments/checks Be Made
The IRS will be responsible for making these stimulus payment checks and Treasury Secretary Mnuchin, whose department oversees the IRS, said that payments go out within a week of the bill being formally approved. This means payments could hit bank accounts before the end of the year. Payments would be made in multiple batches and if all goes according to plan the first round of payments would begin on 12/28 . Processing will go until January 15th for Direct Deposit payments. Checks and Debit Cards will take until the end of January 2020 to get processed. See more on the IRS Stimulus Check Payment Schedule.
The inclusion of the one-time stimulus payment however has also meant a cut in extra unemployment benefits that are also part of the overall package. More to come as the bill gets finalized and I will post updates. See this $600 stimulus update video for a quick summary as well.
Child Tax Credit: December End
Some families received another form of stimulus aid when the IRS in July deposited the first of six monthly cash payments into bank accounts of parents who qualify for the Child Tax Credit . Families on average received $423 in their first CTC payment, according to an analysis of Census data from the left-leaning advocacy group Economic Security Project.
Eligible families received up to $1,800 in cash through December, with the money parceled out in equal installments over the six months from July through December. The aid was due to the expanded CTC, which is part of President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan.
Families who qualify received $300 per month for each child under 6 and $250 for children between 6 to 17 years old. Several families that spoke to CBS MoneyWatch said the extra money would go toward child care, back-to-school supplies and other essentials.
While progressives and some Democrats urged lawmakers to continue the enhanced CTC, it appears stalled at the moment. That means families won’t receive a CTC payment in January or beyond.
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Are There Another Stimulus Package
Asked by: Simone Heidenreich
While a fourth stimulus check is improbable, more direct payments to Americans have already been signed into law. The American Rescue Plan includes an improved Child Tax Credit and extended unemployment benefits. … Monthly payments of up to $300 per child started July 15 and will continue through December of 2021.
Is Congress Talking About A Fourth Stimulus Check
There are no signs that lawmakers in Washington, D.C. are in serious discussions about a fourth direct payment stimulus check. While there have been calls by the public and from some lawmakers for recurring payments, there has been practically nothing in terms of action.
Emails and phone calls to the White House, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who is chair of the Senate Budget Committee, and Rep. John Yarmuth, D-Ky., chair of the House Budget Committee, asking if such payments are under discussion were not returned.
One pandemic-related stimulus that is being considered for an extension is the monthly advance child tax credit. It raised the previous tax credit from $2,000 at tax time to $3,000-$3,600 with the option of monthly payments. A one-year extension is part of the Build Back Better bill that passed the House. But Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., announced Sunday he would not vote for it. With no Republicans on board, passage of the bill is doomed unless an alternative is found.
A group of Democrats sent a letter to Biden in back in May , but the letter did not get into specifics and nothing else came of it.
A change.org petition started by Denver restaurant owner Stephanie Bonin in 2020 called on Congress to pass regular checks of $2,000 for adults and $1,000 for kids for the duration of the pandemic crisis.
As of late December, the petition has reached nearly 3 million signatures.
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Here Are Some Questions And Answers Around This New Stimulus Payment:
If I didnt file taxes in 2019/2020 will I receive the stimulus ? Unlike the first stimulus payment where those who didnt need to file a tax return could update the IRS non-filer tool, this time around due to the speed of roll-out of the second stimulus check and with tax season around the corner the IRS has said the non-filer tool is closed for updates. The IRS will be using information they have as of Nov 21, 2020 or from your first stimulus check payment . Otherwise they are encouraging you to the stimulus by filing a 2020 1040 or 1040-SR tax return. Free tax software programs can be used by people who are not normally required to file tax returns but are eligible to claim the credit.
How will I get paid? Like the first stimulus payment in 2020, the IRS will facilitate payment of these checks based on your 2019 tax information. You will also get the dependent stimulus payment for eligible dependents claimed on your tax return. For other groups who dont file taxes the IRS will work with other government departments or the Get My Payment tool. Direct deposit will still be the fastest way to get your payment.
Dependents in 2020? Households who added dependents in 2020 might not qualify for full payments immediately, since based on 2019 tax return information. But they can request additional money as part of the 2020 tax returns they will file in early 2021. See more in this articles for dependent qualification income thresholds.
What If I Owe Child Support Payments Back Taxes Money To Creditors Or Debt Collectors Or Federal Or State Debt
None of the three stimulus checks can be reduced to pay any federal or state debts and back taxes. Unlike the first stimulus check, your second and third stimulus check cannot be reduced if you owe past-due child support payments.
| Federal or State Debt | |
| Protected | Not protected |
If you are claiming the payments as part of your 2020 tax refund , the payments are no longer protected from past-due child support payments, creditor and debt collectors, and other federal or state debt that you owe . In other words, if you receive your first or second stimulus checks as part of your tax refund instead of direct checks, it may be reduced.
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More Stimulus Checks Are Likelyjust Not Until The Next Recession
It took no time for Americans to get on board with stimulus checks. Back in March 2020, a Fortune-SurveyMonkey poll found that 89% of Democrats and 85% of Republicans supported a one-time direct payment. Its popularity didnt stop there: Democrats arguably used the promise of a $2,000 stimulus check to win the two Georgia Senate runoff races in January. Those victories, of course, gave Democrats control of the U.S. Senate and the power to pass the third check in March.
Those direct payments certainly had an impact on the broader economy. Look no further than a study by University of Michigan researchers that found the checks coincided with a drop in financial instability among recipients. However, the economic benefits arent why stimulus checks are poised to be a lasting policy creation of the COVID-19 recession. Instead, its the popularity and political power of the checks.
The politics of it suggest there will be future stimulus checks, Moodys Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi told Fortune this summer. Amid future recessions, Zandi says, lawmakers will surely face pressure from some voters to issue direct payments.
Still Living Paycheck To Paycheck
While the stimulus checks and now-expired Child Tax Credit provided direct aid to families, “most federal aid programs miss the mark, and only reach a fraction of the intended recipients,” noted Greg Nasif, political director of Humanity Forward.
He added, “They barely functioned even before the pandemic and they leave parents with a full-time job navigating bureaucratic hurdles.” In his view, providing “speedy, efficient, direct cash support” is the best option for helping struggling families.
Many people never applied for unemployment benefits because they didn’t think they were eligible, while others may have given up due to long waits and other issues.
Even those who qualified for aid didn’t always receive it. Only 4 in 10 jobless workers actually received unemployment aid, according to a from economist Eliza Forsythe.
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What About On Social Security Or Ssdi
Social Security recipients, disability , Survivor Beneficiaries and Railroad Retirees who are not otherwise required to file a tax return will also be eligible for the stimulus payments, as long as their total income does not exceed the eligibility income limits above. The IRS in conjunction with the Treasury and Social Security Administration announced that recipients of Supplemental Security Income will automatically receive the $1200 Stimulus Check . See details here. This group of recipients will receive the stimulus check the same way they currently get their federal benefits in early May with no further action needed on their part.
However note that because the IRS has no information regarding dependent data for this group of recipients, the $500 kid dependent stimulus payment would not be automatically paid to this group. They need to use the non-filers tool on the IRS website to claim this.
Stimulus Check Payout Schedule
The IRS has confirmed that the distribution of economic impact payments has started and millions of Americans should have their stimulus check payment by now. Note that this will likely only apply to those receiving the payment via direct deposit . You can see the status of your stimulus check payment on the IRS Get My Payment portal.
- Direct Deposit payments will generally be deposited 2 to 3 days after the IRS confirms income eligibility for the payout.
- Physical checks will take at least 6 to 8 weeks to be mailed out.
Social Security Retirees and Disability recipients who are eligible for the payment will get the stimulus checks/payments deposited the same way they currently get their payments.
Given over 120 million Americans could be eligible for the payment, it will take a while to process the stimulus checks.
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