The $ 600 incentive checks that are being offered to millions of people can now be tracked individually through the IRS’s “Get My Payment” website, which reopened Monday afternoon. The site informs people about the date of their payment and whether they will receive it by direct deposit or the date of payment by mail.
However, there are some errors that delay the payment of incentive payments and create confusion and questions for consumers. The main one: Some people who received tax returns in 2020 through tax preparers, such as H&R Block, may have received the incentive check directly to the tax firm, rather than the bank account.
This echo has error that affected the payment of the first incentive check for some individuals who used tax preparation services and for whom the IRS did not have direct filing information. With the second round of incentive checks, a similar issue may affect some people, H&R Block warns customers who have used a service called a refund transfer that they might see “an account number you don’t recognize” in the “Get My Pay” website. Reimbursement transfers are offered to allow people to get their reimbursement to pay their tax preparation fees, according to H&R Block.
“But don’t worry – we sent these payments to the method you chose for the refund transfer: direct deposit, check or Emerald Card. The money should be there by the end of the day,” H&R Block wrote Monday night. .
H&R Block, TurboTax problems
TurboTax from Intuit also on Tuesday posted on Twitter that some customers had problems receiving incentive checks. “The IRS announced yesterday that due to the speed with which they issued this second round of payments, they sent some payments to an account that could be closed or no longer active,” the tax preparation service said.
TurboTax said financial institutions need to return checks to the IRS, but those customers are likely to face a delay.
Some customers responded on social media that they panicked after not receiving their funds as expected, some expressing concern that they had been victims of fraud.
Meanwhile, the IRS said Monday that direct deposits could take “a few days” to be posted to individual accounts after the official Jan. 4 payday. He added that some people might see the incentive checks listed as pending or as interim payments on their accounts.
Here’s what you need to know about tracking your payment.
How can I get my stimulus checked?
The IRS says people will automatically receive payments in the second round of incentive checks. One way to track your payment status is to visit the Get My Payment website.
As in the first round, you’ll need to enter some personally identifiable information, such as your social security number, date of birth, and address. The site will then give you the status of the first and second incentive payments.
What will “Get Paid” tell me?
The “Get My Payment” website will tell you about the date of payment and the method, which the IRS says will be either the date of payment by mail or the date of direct deposit into your bank account. Verifications sent by mail will require more processing and shipping time, although the IRS did not specify the length of time that will be required.
The IRS says it prioritizes direct deposit payments to people with valid routing and account information.
Can I change my bank account information?
The IRS says this option is not available this time because the tax agency issues checks based on information it already has on file from the first round of checks. In the first round of checks directed by Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (or CARES Act), people could enter or correct their bank account information on the “Get my payment” website.
However, this is not an option in the second round. “You will not be able to add new routing or account information and you will not be able to request payment by EIP card,” the IRS said on December 30.
What if the IRS sent the check to a closed account?
Because people can’t update their bank account information on the “Get My Payment” site, there is concern that some checks may be sent to accounts that have recently been closed. In this case, the IRS says you will have to wait until you file your 2020 tax returns.
Incentive checks are actually a tax cut that can be applied to your annual tax returns – but that means people can wait weeks or even months for their incentive money to show up with tax refunds.
Why do you say “Payment is not available”?
This was a message that frustrated many consumers in the first round of checks and resulted in a number of issues, such as whether the IRS was still checking whether a person qualified for a check.
Some people receive this message with the second round of incentive checks, which the IRS says either means the person does not qualify for a check – such as if their income exceeds the eligibility threshold – or the IRS says it was “Unable to pay you a PPE 2,” which is the IRS term for the second stimulus control.
The IRS said it may not be able to issue a second incentive payment if it continues to process the most recent tax return.
What happens if I receive social security through the Direct Express debit card?
The IRS says people who receive government benefits, such as social security, railroad retirement benefits, extra security income, or veteran benefits through Direct Express – a debit card that automatically receives payments – will receive a second incentive check on that card.
But the IRS warned: “The bank information displayed in Get My Payment will be a number associated with your Direct Express card and may be a number you do not recognize.”