People all across the U.S. are awaiting their third stimulus checks, which were just authorized by President Joe Biden on Mar. 11. The White House said some Americans could expect their payments to arrive as soon this past weekend, but others are still waiting for the money to be deposited into their bank account or sent via mail. If you're still waiting on yours a couple of weeks from now, however, the IRS may require you to take action to ensure you get your stimulus check. Read on to find out what you should be looking out for, and for one reason your check could be delayed, If You Haven't Received Your Stimulus Payment Yet, You Need To Check This.
If you don't check your status on the IRS tracking tool, you may not get your stimulus check.
iStockIf you haven't gotten your stimulus check yet, you should check your payment status through the IRS' "Get My Payment" stimulus tracker tool. To do this, you will have to verify your identity through a series of security questions about your social security number or your individual tax ID number, your date of birth, your street address, and your ZIP code. If your status says "Need More Information" on the site, that could mean your payment was returned to the IRS and you need to take a few steps to ensure you get it. And for more reasons you may not have your payment yet, If You've Done This in the Past Year, Your Stimulus Check Could Be Delayed.
Your payment could be returned to the IRS by the post office.
ShutterstockAccording to the IRS, if you see the notice "Need More Information" after using the "Get My Payment" tool, your stimulus check was returned to the IRS "because the post office was unable to deliver it," which is likely because you moved since the last time you filed your taxes and have not updated your address with the IRS. The agency says that this notice will likely show up two to three weeks after your stimulus payment was issued, so you should continue to check the tracking tool on the IRS website over the next month if you don't receive your check before then. And for all the up-to-date news about your stimulus payment and more, sign up for our daily newsletter.
You can change your address or provide bank account information to get your payment reissued.
iStockAccording to the IRS, once they receive your returned stimulus check, "you may be able to provide your bank account information in Get My Payment to have your payment reissued as a direct deposit." So if you see the "Need More Information" alert when you log-in, the IRS will give you the option to enter either a routing and account number for your bank account, a prepaid debit card, or an alternative financial product that has a routing and account number associated with it.
If you don't want a direct deposit, you'll have to update your address with the IRS to receive your check. According to the agency, the easiest way to do that is to electronically file your 2020 tax return with your current address. However, you can also call the IRS or visit your local IRS office to tell them that your address has changed, fill out IRS Form 8822, or mail a written statement to the IRS with your full name, old address, new address, and social security number. And while you're at it, If You're Waiting on a Stimulus Check, Read This Before Filing Your Taxes.
Your check may be sent by mail even if you have given the IRS your bank account information.
iStockDon't assume this won't affect you just because you expect to receive your payment via direct deposit. According to the IRS, you may be receiving your payment by mail because "the bank rejected the deposit." The agency says this could happen if your bank information is incorrect or if your bank account has been closed. And according to USA Today, some Americans say their bank account numbers were incorrect when they checked their payment status on the IRS website—which is something that also happened during the first two stimulus payments due to technical glitches from third-party tax preparers. So, no matter what, you'll want to keep a close eye on your payment status. And for more on getting the money you're waiting for, If You Never Got Your Last Stimulus Check, Experts Say Do This Now.
