Stimulus check: how to track missing $500 for dependents under 17
The IRS has corrected an error that has seen some Americans receive CARES Act stimulus checks missing the money they were due for qualifying dependents.
An Internal Revenue Service (IRS) error has seen some people in the US receive stimulus checks missing the additional money they were due for their child dependents, but the problem has been fixed.
Some non-filers get stimulus checks missing $500 credit per child dependent
Since mid-April, stimulus checks have been distributed to qualifying Americans to help them cope with the financial impact of the coronavirus, as part of a $2.2tn pandemic relief bill known as the CARES Act.
In addition to providing checks of up to $1,200 to those with an annual income below $99,000, the CARES Act Economic Impact Payment (EIP) scheme has also allowed households to claim an extra $500 per dependent aged 16 or under.
However, some who applied for their check using the Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info Here platform - an IRS tool through which those who do not need to submit a tax return have been able to register for their EIP - have found that the cash they were entitled to for their qualifying dependents was erroneously left off.
In an update issued on its website on 11 August, the IRS explained that the problem had affected Americans who used the Non-Filers tool before 17 May.
Use Get My Payment tool to check status
Direct-deposit payment of the outstanding $500 per dependent began on 5 August, while paper checks or prepaid debit cards started to be sent out on 7 August.
Claimants can check on the status of their missing dependent credits by accessing the IRS’ Get My Payment tool. According to the US tax office, people will also be mailed a letter, known as a Notice 1444, confirming that their payment has been processed.
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