COVID-19 Stimulus Checks: Where Is My Payment?

There are a lot of people like you: Maybe you haven’t gotten your COVID-19 stimulus check from the IRS. You can’t figure out the reason, but your family and friends have gotten theirs, and you need yours.

Below you can find a list of some of the most common reasons you might not have gotten your COVID-19 stimulus check. The IRS started sending out the checks in phases, not all at once, beginning on April 10. There are multiple reasons that the IRS might be mailing you a check instead of using direct deposit. If you’ve fallen into that category, it could take several months to receive your check. Paper checks didn’t even start going out until late April, according to The Chicago Tribune. In addition, the IRS is sending checks to those with lowest income first. It’s also possible you didn’t provide the IRS with the basic information the agency needs to send your check (you can learn more about that below).

As of May 6, the IRS had already sent out 130 million stimulus checks but was still expected to send out millions more, The Associated Press reports.

You can check your payment status through the IRS portal here. If that portal tells you “payment status not available,” the IRS says there are multiple possible reasons:

You are required to file a tax return, but:
We haven’t finished processing your 2019 return
The application doesn’t yet have your data; we’re working on adding more data to allow more people to use it.

You don’t usually file a return, and:
You used Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info Here but we haven’t processed your entry yet
You receive SSI or VA benefits; information has not been loaded onto our systems yet for people who don’t normally file a tax return.

You’re not eligible for a payment.

Here are some possible reasons you didn’t get your stimulus check:

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You Have an Inactive Bank Account

If the IRS tried to send your check to an old bank account, and it was rejected, you’re getting a paper check, which will take longer to receive.

“If the account is closed or no longer active, the bank will reject the deposit and you will be issued a check that will be mailed to the address we have on file for you,” the IRS says. “This is generally the address on your most recent tax return or as updated through the United States Postal Service (USPS). You do not need to call the IRS to change your Payment method or update your address at this time.”

The IRS adds: “As required by law and for security reasons, a letter about the Payment will be mailed to each recipient’s last known address within 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.”

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You Don’t Have a Bank Account

If you don’t have a bank account at all, you’re getting a paper check, which takes longer. “We will mail your Payment to the address we have on file for you. This is generally the address on your most recent tax return or as updated through the United States Postal Service (USPS),” the IRS says.

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You Used a Tax Preparing Service

Some people who used TurboTax or H&R Block reported that they haven’t received their checks. The IRS explains:

When you filed your tax return, if you chose a refund settlement product for direct deposit purposes, you may have received a prepaid debit card. In some cases, your Economic Impact Payment may have been directed to the bank account associated with the refund settlement product or prepaid debit card. If the refund settlement product or the associated account is closed or no longer active, the bank is required to reject the deposit and return it to the IRS.

In that case, the IRS will process the returned payment and will automatically mail the check “to the address on the 2019 or 2018 tax return, or the address on file with the U.S. Postal Service.” Mailed checks can take longer to receive.

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You Filed Your 2019 Tax Return Recently

If that’s the case, the IRS might still be processing it, which is simply delaying your check, according to Money.

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You’re a Dependent on Someone Else’s Tax Returns

If you are a dependent on someone else’s tax returns (like a parent’s), you don’t qualify for a stimulus check, according to the IRS. A lot of college students have fallen into this category.

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You’re Over the Income Limits

You have to fall under certain income limits to qualify for a COVID-19 stimulus check. Here are those limits, according to the IRS:

U.S. citizens and U.S. resident aliens will receive the Economic Impact Payment of $1,200 for individual or head of household filers, and $2,400 for married filing jointly if they are not a dependent of another taxpayer and have a work eligible Social Security number with adjusted gross income up to:

$75,000 for individuals if their filing status was single or married filing separately
$112,500 for head of household filers and
$150,000 for married couples filing joint returns

Taxpayers will receive a reduced payment if their AGI is between:

$75,000 and $99,000 if their filing status was single or married filing separately
112,500 and $136,500 for head of household
$150,000 and $198,000 if their filing status was married filing jointly

The amount of the reduced payment will be based upon the taxpayers specific adjusted gross income.

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You Didn’t File a Tax Return or Didn’t Give the IRS Your Basic Information

Not everyone needs to file a tax return to get a stimulus check, but some people do. You can find out if you need to file a tax return here.

Some categories of people don’t need to file tax returns to get their checks. The IRS says:

You are not required to file a tax return and will automatically receive a $1,200 Payment if you received Social Security retirement, SSDI, survivors benefits, SSI, Railroad Retirement benefits, or VA Compensation and Pension (C&P) benefits in 2019. You do not need to contact the IRS, Social Security Administration (SSA), the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) or Veterans Affairs. The IRS will use the information from your 2019 benefits to generate a Payment to you if you did not file tax returns in 2018 or 2019. You will receive your Payment as a direct deposit or by mail, just as you would normally receive your federal benefits.

But what if you aren’t one of the people above and you didn’t file a federal tax return for 2018 or 2019? “You have to provide basic information to the IRS to receive your Payment. The IRS urges you to take one of the following actions as soon as you can,” the IRS says of those people.

You can use the non-filers payment tool to enter information the IRS needs here. If the IRS doesn’t get your information, you won’t get a check.

Some people have run into glitches on this site. If the IRS rejects your information, make sure you’ve spelled it exactly as it appears on your tax return. Spell out avenue instead of ave. (and things like that) and watch for abbreviations, spelling, and punctuation differences. One hack that works for some people: Type your information in all caps. You could also try eliminating all punctuation. Try your 2018 information if 2019 doesn’t work.

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You Don’t Have a Work-Eligible Social Security Number

The IRS says you need a work-eligible social security number to get a check. According to the IRS, if you’re “a nonresident alien” under the law, then you don’t qualify for a check.

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You’re Getting a Paper Check & the IRS Just Hasn’t Mailed It Yet

According to the IRS, Social Security and Railroad Retirement recipients “who are not typically required to file a tax return need to take no action.” They will get a paper check or direct deposit, depending on how they normally get their government checks. However, if you fell into the category of people getting a paper check, it might just be taking longer to receive.

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The IRS Just Hasn’t Sent the Check Yet Because It’s Sending Them Out in Phases

The IRS didn’t start sending checks to Social Security beneficiaries, railroad retirees and veterans who aren’t required to file a tax return until late April. This payments will continue being sent out through the month of May, according to The Chicago Tribune. It’s possible the IRS just didn’t get around to you quite yet.

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