Stimulus check: what to do if your bank had trouble processing direct deposit?
Millions of Americans have been issued with a payment under the provisions of the CARES Act but there are still some awaiting receipt of their money.
Ever since the US government introduced the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has been issuing $1,200 Economic Impact Payments to millions of eligible Americans. This began back in April as attempts were made to support people in the United States through the financial hardship brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Despite their best efforts, there are still many eligible households that have not received their payment, many of whom are in desperate need of the government’s support. And one of the many reasons for this delay is due to the bank having trouble processing your direct deposit.
Stimulus check: direct deposit issues
The money sent to your account by the IRS may have been returned to them if your bank had been unable to process the direct transfer. If this is the case then you will have had to wait a little longer as the IRS deals with the return and arranges for a check to be mailed to you.
To avoid any further delays in receiving the payment, ensure that your mailing address is accurate and up-to-date. The IRS will automatically use the current one that they have on file based on your 2018 or 2019 tax returns, unless they have been advised of an alternative address by the US Postal Service.
What’s next for stimulus checks?
It is important to remember that if you missed the cutoff to give the agency your direct deposit banking info (the deadline was 13 May), as long as you are eligible, the IRS can still send your stimulus payment. There are a number of ways to track your payment.
Following the Memorial Day Weekend celebrations, albeit muted ones, focus now returns to a potential second stimulus package. Noises coming out of Washington are that we will be seeing something soon, although the House-approved HEROES Act is not expected to get Senate approval.
Covid-19 latest developments
As always, you can follow all the latest news related to the coronavirus on our rolling live feed and we also have a US-specific blog to keep you informed of what's happening at home.