(ABC4) – Haven’t received your stimulus check yet? There are a few reasons why you, and many others, haven’t seen the funding reach you yet.
Under President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 recovery bill, an estimated 85% of Americans are eligible for $1,400 stimulus payments. Millions of payments are expected to be disbursed in the next few weeks.
Unlike the first two payments, which were limited to children under 17, this round of checks will also go to all qualifying dependents, including college students, adults with disabilities, parents and grandparents.
Officials maintain that no action is required by taxpayers to receive the payments, which will be based on 2019 or 2020 tax returns, depending on which was the latest filed, or data supplied to the IRS last year by non-filers.
On Wednesday, checks began hitting accounts at Chase and Wells Fargo. Thousands of Wells Fargo customers were unable to check their accounts, though, after the online and mobile banking platforms became overwhelmed.
But what if you aren’t a Wells Fargo customer and you still haven’t seen your check?
Officials tell affiliate WANE that part of the reason it takes some time for checks to be deposited is because the IRS is intended to be a collection agency, not a payment agency.
While you can check the status of your check with the IRS’s ‘Get My Payment Tool,’ here are a few reasons you may not have gotten your stimulus payment:
You haven’t filed your taxes yet
If you haven’t filed your 2020 tax return yet, the IRS will use your 2019 tax return to determine your eligibility. In addition, if you did not use direct deposit with your refund, or did not get a refund last year, the IRS may not have bank account information for you.
You filed your taxes by paper
Filing your taxes by paper, rather than electronically, can take time. Because of this, they may not have been processed yet.
You moved or changed bank accounts
If you’ve done either of these, it could mean your payment is coming via the mail, and may take longer.
Your income changed
If your income went up in 2020 versus 2019, your eligibility may have changed under the American Rescue Plan.
You owe money, like child support
Owing money, like child support, can delay your stimulus payment.
By the end of March, most people should start seeing their payments, according to the IRS, or have an idea of what the status of their payment is.
You can check the status of your payment with the IRS’s ‘Get My Payment’ tool. For more information on the stimulus payments, and how to file your taxes if you didn’t get one, visit the IRS’s website.
