It is frustrating if you still haven’t received your stimulus check. But the IRS tracker can help you stay updated. The information in it could help you to finally track it down. But the facts in the tracker are not complete though it helps you get an idea of where you stand and what steps you need to take.
The IRS has already dispatched more than 164 million payments totaling about $386 billion. This included many plus-up payments that are a follow-up to the original stimulus check. And if you are not among the beneficiaries, you need to immediately follow up.
Deciding Your Next Course Of Action On The Stimulus Check
The IRS tracking tool can help you with information that will help you decide on your next course of action. You might have to just wait for the mail to arrive once you are sure that it is coming in through the postal service.
Or you might have to file for a trace. It would also help if you know the amount you were set to receive, though this information is not available on the tracker. It could help you to calculate and claim the amount that you are still owed.
Another Payment Coming In After The Stimulus Check
Another generous amount coming your way is the child tax credit payments. This check could bring in up to $3,600 per child if they are below 6 years. For children above that age, the amount is $3,000 per child.
Half of the payment will go out to families in the form of monthly payments from July through December 2021. The rest will be a credit against the tax return of 2021, filed in 2022.
Getting Help From The ‘Get My Payment’ Tracker
You need to first register using the Get My Payment tracker. Enter the Social Security number, your address, ZIP code, and date of birth. You will get access to details about your stimulus check.
You can know information related to the date your stimulus check is scheduled or was sent. You will also get details about the mode of payment, whether the payment was sent through direct deposit with the bank, or as a prepaid debit card, or a paper check, or sent through the US postal service.
You might also get a message that says that the tracker cannot determine your payment status.
Information That You Will Not Get From The Get My Payment Tracker
The Get My Payment tracker is updated once at the end of each day. So you should not expect hourly updates on the tracker. Neither will you get to know the amount you will get.
If you have missed out on the initial two stimulus checks, the tracker will not help you with information. You will also not get a step-by-step guide to solving your payment glitches.
The IRS has also discontinued the system of operators. Any call to the IRS will not help you as an operator on the other end of the line will only have access to information already available on the tracker.
The Messages You Will Get On The Tracker
You will see any one of the three messages on the tracker. The first is the
Payment Status
This message indicates that your stimulus check is on schedule and will be dispatched on the date revealed by the direct deposit or mail. You will receive a prepaid debit card or a paper check if your stimulus payment comes in through the US postal service.
You will also get this message to indicate that you are eligible, though your payment may not have been processed yet.
Payment Status Not Available
This message could indicate either your check is still to be processed. This message will be displayed till your check is processed and sent.
But this message could also indicate that you are unentitled to a check. So do not fail to crosscheck the details you have submitted to the authorities. Take the help of the online calculator to exactly determine how much you should get in the stimulus check.
Interpreting The “Need More Information” Message
The FAQs reveal that the ‘Need More Information’ message in your tracker shows that your paper check or stimulus card was returned as the postal service was unable to deliver them.
This massage enables you to update information on the tracker. You can provide the necessary details and get our stimulus check routed as a direct transfer to your bank or a financial account having both a routing number and an account number.
The information will also help them to issue a prepaid and reloadable debit card.
Steps You Need To Take If You Do Not Receive A Check
If you do not get your stimulus check even after a reasonable period, you have to file a payment trace.
But you should have in your possession the letter that the IRS mails after sending out a payment. It arrives around 2 weeks after it is mailed by the IRS.
Tracking Your Mail Using The Free Tool Of The US Postal Service
If you are sure that your stimulus payment will come in through the US Postal Service, you can use their free tool to track your mail accurately.
The app notifies you just before it is set to deliver the amount in your stimulus check and tracks your mail at every stage.
Retain The IRS Letter That Follows The Stimulus Payment
It is necessary to preserve the letter mailed by the IRS. This letter is sent to the address in their records within 2 weeks of sending out the stimulus payment.
This letter confirms the delivery and contains vital information on the mode of payment. It also advises on the steps to take if you do not receive the amount or only part of the amount.
This letter can also be accessed online if you have misplaced the original letter. This letter will be vital when you apply for a payment trace.
Information For The Social Service Beneficiaries And Veterans
The veterans and Social Service beneficiaries will also know the position of their check from this app. Their payment was dispatched much later starting the first week of April 2021.
Can You Still Recover Your First And Second Stimulus Check?
The IRS has stopped sending previous stimulus checks automatically. If you are still owed any payment, you can file a Recovery Rebate Credit along with the 2020 returns.
With the deadline looming on May 17, filing your returns is the most reliable way to ensure you can update all information with the IRS. It includes your personal and bank details, and your mailing address.
Can I Add Bank Details Through The IRS Tracker?
The IRS has stopped sending stimulus payments by direct deposit after March 24, except for Social Security recipients. But the IRS tracker could not be used to enter or update direct deposit details even before that.
If the IRS cannot deliver your stimulus check into your bank account, you will get it only through the US postal service.
Filing your tax returns before the May 17 deadline will not help get your stimulus payment through the bank either. But you still need to file to get tax refunds and the child tax credit checks, set to commence from July 2021.
