New stimulus check: Make sure you know these essential facts – CNET

As the details of another coronavirus relief bill that would include a second stimulus payment are still under negotiations on Capitol Hill, the timeline for when you could realistically get paid remains up in the air. And that means so do details about changes to eligibility rules that could affect a second stimulus payment, among other factors.

While we don’t know how it will all knit together, we can help you understand big-picture truths about the stimulus check, like if you could actually receive your check first or last among all the priority groups that will be determined, and how the IRS calculates your total check.

Read on for more information on the biggest stimulus check takeaways, including how the payment relates to your taxes, and to your children. We update this story regularly.

1. Stimulus negotiations are growing more urgent

With the Nov. 3 election now 18 days away, new unemployment figures on the rise, more than 8 million known coronavirus cases in the US, according to Johns Hopkins University, and millions more people who are in poverty, the pressure to bring more immediate aid intensifies by the day. But nothing about the next stimulus bill has been fast or easy. 

President Donald Trump continues to urge Congress to pass a bill. Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin speak daily and say they’re making progress on language and funding for the White House’s Oct. 9 $1.8 trillion stimulus offer, which includes another direct payment for up to $1,200 for individuals, as well as a change in the status of dependents (more below). 

At the same time, Senate Republicans are preparing to vote on a new stand-alone bill to refund the Paycheck Protection Program on Oct. 19 — just days away — which would not include a stimulus check. The White House insists Senate Republicans will fall in line to approve a bill. But while Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has committed to passing a stimulus package — even post-election — he’s also digging in his heels on the White House’s offer, setting up a potential clash of wills between Republicans in the Senate and White House administration.

Here’s more on how the Senate’s Monday vote could set up a fight.

2. Stimulus payment math works like this

Did you know that in some cases you can still get stimulus money if you have kids, even if your family’s yearly earnings exceed the income limit? 

We go into more depth here about how the IRS arrives at a final stimulus check payment, but the bottom line is that the IRS lumps together your household’s total adjusted gross income and adds on the money allotted to qualifying dependents and then starts deducting from the total, based on your income bracket as defined by the CARES Act.

You can calculate your estimated stimulus check total now (including for a second check), but the bottom line is that even if your family income exceeds the limit — let’s say you’re married, filing jointly and have a $200,000 AGI, with one qualifying child you can still see a $400 check. Without children, you wouldn’t be eligible for a check at all.

3. You could get more money with certain eligibility changes

While we expect a second stimulus check to largely follow the same guidelines as the first, the requirements are subject to change. That might even benefit your family. One approach redefines who counts as a qualifying dependent and would give your family $500 for each dependent you identify on your taxes, regardless of age. 

The current $1.8 trillion proposal from the White House offers a $1,000 payment per child dependent. We’ve broken down how some families would benefit more from one approach versus the other when it comes to your total payment. (Here’s how young people would qualify for their own $1,200 check.)

4. A second stimulus check is likely, not guaranteed

It’s a bipartisan desire. Trump also wants to send another round of checks out to Americans. In fact, every major stimulus proposal since the first check began going out in April has included a second direct payment. 

Though a new payment is wrapped up in a bill of one form or another that has to pass both chambers of Congress and get the president’s signature, this is one element on which all sides seem to agree. 

However, a stand-alone bill like the one now being floated in the Senate will not include another check (see the negotiations section above). This proposal is not expected to pass the House, but the passage of any stand-alone aid wouldn’t necessarily mean a second stimulus check isn’t coming — it would further shift the timeline, though. 

5. The IRS might get you your stimulus money faster

The IRS has already gone through the growing pains of figuring out how to mobilize and deliver one round of stimulus money. In theory, if a second check is approved, the agency could speed up the process of sending the first batch of payments. The tracking tool is already up and running, the system is in place and it’s likely that the majority of people who qualified for a first check will also receive another.

The timeline is constantly shifting, but we mapped out potential dates a check could be sent if approved before — and after — the election.

6. Different people could get paid at different times

Not everyone gets their checks at the same time and some of that comes down to how you’re getting paid. For example, direct deposit — an electronic transfer of funds into your bank account — could happen weeks before people start to receive a paper check or prepaid EIP card in the mail. We identified five priority groups based on the first stimulus checks.

7. Millions of people didn’t get their first check from the IRS

If you’re still waiting for your first payment, there are several ways to hunt it down. As many as 9 million people were estimated to be eligible for a first check, but that requires registering with the IRS, an extra step most people didn’t have to take. The deadline is Nov. 21 and we show you how to do it. Some people with dependents received only a partial payment and are still owed money. The deadline to get that in 2020 passed Sept. 30, but we explain how you can claim it with next year’s taxes.

8. The exceptions and rules are downright dizzying

When and if a second stimulus check does get approved, the details will require some unraveling. While some situations are straightforward, other complications about you and your dependents may make it unclear if you’re eligible and for how much. Fringe cases abound. 

For example:

9. You won’t pay taxes on your stimulus money

The IRS doesn’t consider stimulus money to be income, and a payment you get this year won’t reduce your refund in 2021 or increase the amount you owe when you file your 2020 tax return. You also won’t have to repay part of your check if you qualify for a lower amount in 2021. The IRS said if you didn’t receive everything you were owed this year, you can claim it as a credit on your 2020 federal income tax return by filing in 2021. Here’s everything to know about stimulus checks and taxes.

There’s much more to know about other government payments during the pandemic, including a possible interest check from the IRS and where the $300 federal unemployment benefit is now.