I haven't had the first stimulus check payment yet, will I receive the second one?
The IRS has confirmed that the $600 stimulus checks are already being made but some are yet to receive the first round of payments. Make sure you don't miss out on the cash.
After months of negotiations and a late delay due to a presidential intervention, a coronavirus financial support package has finally been signed into law. The package includes a second round of stimulus checks, with over 150 million Americans again expected to be eligible.
However while the IRS and the Treasury Department has confirmed that they have already started sending out the $600 per person payments, some Americans are still reporting that they have not yet received the first. Fortunately, as long as your situation has not changed it should not affect you for the second round of payments.
Why have I not received my first stimulus check?
Payments for the first round of stimulus checks have long since finished so if you have not had the money by now then something has definitely gone wrong. It is worth noting that in most cases the IRS will have sent the money directly to the bank account that they have on record for you, so it is worth checking all of the personal bank accounts that you have access to.
To see the status of an existing payment, use the Get My Payment tracking tool to check if the IRS has processed your case.If it has been marked as sent on their system, or if you have received a confirmation letter form the IRS but have not received the funds, then it is possible that the payment was lost or stolen. Bear in mind that around four million Americans without access to a bank account had a physical debit card sent to their home address.
If you think that your stimulus check has been stolen then consult the Federal Trade Commission , while Money Network has this handy guide to replace a lost or stolen Economic Impact Payment debit card .
Will this stop me from receiving the second stimulus check?
In most cases, failure to receive the first stimulus check by now is probably due to an administrative error of some kind so it is best to double check the details to prevent it happening again. The second wave of payments began on 29 December and the IRS has confirmed that Americans eligible for direct debit payments should receive their money from early January.
If you are expecting to receive a physical check in the mail but have moved house recently, then make sure that you have USPS mail forwarding to ensure it finds you in the new location. If not, it will be returned to the IRS who will hold it until you provide them with a new address.
If you have closed a bank account or changed banks since the last round of stimulus checks then the payment may be delayed. Try to update your bank details with the IRS but it is possible that they will have already tried to make payment. But fear not, if the old account is closed then they will send a physical check by mail instead.