You can update information linked to your stimulus check through the IRS tool. It also sends out messages that apprise you if there are any problems.
The third stimulus check has gone out to more than 164 million individuals and households, but many are yet to get their payment. Many have also got less than the amount calculated. Getting answers to these and a host of other questions is a tough task as there is no online support this time around.
The IRS Trackers Answers Many Questions On The Stimulus Check
But you can get information on the IRS tool that can help you with most of your problems related to the stimulus payments. The tool doesn’t answer one vital question though. It cannot enlighten you on the amount you will get in your check. It is an issue if you are trying to resolve any mismatch between what you have got in your check and the amount as per your calculation.
The Child Tax Credit Checks To Go Out Starting July 2021
Families with children will get a generous amount of $3,600 max, depending on their age. Half of this amount will be paid out from July through December 2021 as monthly checks. The rest will be adjusted against tax returns filed in 2022.
Filing your tax return for 2020 before the May 17 deadline could get you a tax refund.
The Get My Payment Tracker: How It Can Help You To Calculate Your Stimulus Check
You need to first register your account in the IRS tracker. For that, you need to enter the Social Security number, your address, and date of birth. You will get details about your stimulus payment. You will know when your stimulus check was sent and the mode of the payment; paper check, prepaid debit card, or direct transfer to your bank.
You will also know if your payment was sent or is yet to be sent. It also gives a message that says your status cannot be determined.
The Get My Payment Tracker Doesn’t Give Out All The Information
Other than the lack of information about the payment amount, another drawback is that there is no update on any catch-up payment.
The tracker is updated at the end of each day. So you can get the latest report only once a day. If you are owed payments from the first and second stimulus checks, this tracker will not help you. There are also no solutions if you face any payment issues.
The IRS has done away with the system of direct teleoperators. So even if you get through to the IRS desk, the information you get will only be what is already there on the Get My Payment tracker.
Interpreting Messages On The Tracker: What Does ‘Payment Status Not Available’ Indicate?
This is a common message that is displayed till your payment gets processed. So all you need to do is wait for it to disappear.
But on the flip side, it might also indicate that you are ineligible for any stimulus check. So if you see this information on your site, you should re-check your entitlement. You could also take the help of a stimulus payment calculator available online.
Getting The ‘Payment Status’ Message
This message indicates that your payment has been processed and scheduled. You will get it through direct deposit or the postal service. You will receive either a paper check or a prepaid debit card if you receive your payment by mail.
The message could also indicate that you are eligible, but your payment is yet to be processed and hence no payment dates are indicated.
Getting The ‘Need More Information’ Note On The Site
The ‘Need More Information’ note on the IRS tool could indicate that you have not given the right mailing address to the IRS. Your stimulus check was subsequently returned as the postal service was unable to deliver the mail.
Though it is not normally possible to update information on the site, the above message indicates that you can enter your correct mailing address or your bank details for direct payment to your account, to a debit card, or a financial account with an account and routing number linked to it.
Getting Info On The IRS Tool That The Payment Has Already Been Sent
If you do not receive your stimulus check even if the payment sent message is displayed on the tracker, you need to immediately file a payment trace.
You will get a letter from the IRS around 15 days after the payment date given in the tracker. You will need the letter to file a payment trace as it contains every detail on the check.
Tracking Your Paper Check Through The US Postal Service
If you are scheduled to receive your stimulus payment by mail, you can use the free tool of the postal service. Called Informed Delivery, this mail-tracker keeps track of your mail. You know well in advance when the letter will reach you.
The Letter Sent By The IRS
The letter sent by the IRS contains important information on the third stimulus payment. It gave information on the mode of the payment. This letter will be useful to claim any missing stimulus money.
Claiming The First And Second Stimulus Checks
The IRS has stopped sending out the previous stimulus payments. You will have to claim it through the Recovery Rebate Credit, filed along with the 2020 tax returns. So if you haven’t filed your tax returns, you should file one immediately before the May 17 deadline.
Updating Bank Details Through The IRS Tracker
Only social security beneficiaries are still receiving their stimulus payments through direct deposit to their bank accounts. You cannot correct your bank details online even if your check gets returned.
The easiest way to update the information is to file your tax returns for 2020. This will help you get the bank details updated in the IRS records. You will get your stimulus and other payments much faster. You will also get your child tax credit checks much faster.
