Are you one of the many wondering why you haven’t received your $600 second stimulus payment yet? With a tight deadline of January 15, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) ran into more glitches than they did with the first stimulus check.
We know you may already have plans for your $600 payment but if your stimulus check has not arrived, the information below can help you identify the problem and then figure out what to do.. The best place to start finding the issue delaying your second stimulus check is to visit Get My Payment on the IRS website. This page will tell you how you are expected to receive your payment or if there are any issues with the second check.
Haven't received Stimulus Check?
Use the information from Get My Payment with these tips to find out why you haven’t received your $600 second stimulus check yet:
- You’re receiving a check, not direct deposit. Use the Get My Payment site to ensure you are receiving a check; a check can take three to four weeks to arrive.
- The IRS has the wrong bank account information. If you were supposed to receive the $600 payment via direct deposit, compare the bank account on Get My Payment to your bank account information. If the IRS has the wrong information, the payment should be rejected and you may end up receiving a paper check in the mail.
- The IRS does not have your bank account information. If you didn’t file a federal tax return for 2019 or owed money on your federal return, the IRS might not have your bank account information. After the IRS attempts a direct deposit, they will automatically send you a paper check to the address they have on file.
- Delays in the mail service are impacting your check. The IRS cannot account for delays due to the mail service in their prediction for your check’s arrival. If Get My Payment tells you that you are to receive your $600 payment as a paper check, you may need to be patient.
- You are not eligible. Most Americans with a valid social security number are eligible to receive their $600 stimulus check as long as their income in 2019 does not exceed $75,000 for individuals or $150,000 if married and filing a joint return.
- You accidentally threw it away. The stimulus check can be hard to spot and some may mistake it for junk mail. You may have received your $600 check and thrown it away not knowing what it was. If this happens, you can still claim your $600 stimulus through the Recovery Rebate Credit when you file your 2020 tax return if eligible.
- You moved. Moving is not an issue for your second stimulus check if you are to receive it via direct deposit. If you are to receive it via paper check and you didn’t update your address with the IRS, you should ensure your mail is being forwarded to your current address. If the check is returned to the IRS, you can claim the Recovery Rebate Credit when you file your 2020 tax return.
What to do if your $600 stimulus check has not arrived
The IRS will not reissue you another payment if it is lost, stolen, destroyed, or returned to them because all $600 payments needed to be out by January 15. However, if your $600 stimulus check does not arrive, you will still be able to collect the $600 stimulus check through the Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2020 tax return.
In order to claim this credit, you will need to request a payment trace, which requests the IRS to track the check to ensure it wasn’t cashed. When the trace is complete, file your 2020 tax return with Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit.
If you are struggling to make ends meet even after you receive the second stimulus check, ClearOne Advantage can help. Our Certified Debt Specialists are standing by to help you explore your debt relief options and work out a solution customized just for you. Call 888-340-4697 to speak to a Certified Debt Specialist today and get a personalized debt relief plan.
