If you already got your stimulus check, will you get a plus-up payment, too?
Sarah Tew/CNETThe IRS and Treasury sent nearly 2 million more stimulus checks this week to four main groups of people, the agencies announced Wednesday. People receiving plus-up payments, US veterans, Social Security beneficiaries and people the iRS didn’t previously have on file rounded out the list for new checks, but remember, there are still payments going out through the mail that could come at any time. See the chart below for a full update on the IRS stimulus payment schedule. We’ll also explain more about:
Stimulus checks may get all the attention, but you might also qualify for a monthly child tax credit (see our child credit payment FAQ), and money off your health insurance. In addition, your state may owe you money. And here’s the latest on student loan debt forgiveness, and a fourth stimulus check. This story was recently updated.
Stimulus plus-up payments and the IRS schedule: What to know
The IRS and Treasury sent over $1.2 billion in plus-up payments this week, the agencies said Wednesday, adding supplementary stimulus check money to the amount you already got. For example, if the IRS used your 2019 taxes to calculate your third stimulus check and then finds it underpaid you after processing your 2020 taxes — maybe you had a lower AGI this time or count a new dependent — you’re due an automatic pay bump to correct the error.
If you got your stimulus payment through direct deposit, that’s how you’ll get your plus-up money, too. If the IRS doesn’t have your details on file, you may receive a paper check instead.
Plus-up payments will continue on a weekly basis as the IRS processes 2020 tax forms and reevaluates checks. The batch going out this week includes 700,000 plus-up payments totaling more than $1.2 billion.
Stimulus check payments made so far
| Direct deposit | Paper checks | EIP Card | Direct Express Card | Plus-up | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First payment batch — March 17 | 90 million ($242 billion) | 150,000 ($442 million) | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Second payment batch — March 24 | 17 million ($38 billion) | 15 million ($34 billion) | 5 million ($11 billion) | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Third payment batch, including Social Security — April 3 | 2 million ($5 billion) | 2 million ($5 billion) | Not disclosed | Up to 30 million to come | Not disclosed |
| Fourth payment batch, including first plus-up payment — April 7 | 24 million ($33 billion) | 1 million ($3 billion) | Not disclosed | 3.1 million | 1 million ($2 million) |
| Fifth payment batch, including nonfiler veterans — April 14 | 1.2 million ($2 billion) | 800,000 ($1.4 billion) | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | 700,000 ($1.2 billion) |
Stimulus checks for veterans, SSDI and SSI recipients
After a month of waiting, stimulus checks started flowing to veterans receiving VA benefits. On Wednesday, the IRS and Treasury said they sent 320,000 payments to veterans who don’t ordinarily file taxes (those that do may have received their stimulus check already). Some veterans on a forum on Reddit are reporting they received their checks. VA beneficiary payment information should have been in the IRS’ Get My Payment tool this weekend, the IRS said, but some are reporting their status still isn’t available. We reached out to the IRS for clarification.
Starting April 3, the IRS started making payments for SSDI and SSI recipients and retired railroad workers, many of whom automatically qualify for the third check. The majority of payments made electronically — either through direct deposit or to existing Direct Express cards (PDF) — by April 7, according to the IRS.
You’ll most likely get the electronic payment transfer if this is how you normally receive benefits, and if you didn’t file taxes in 2019 or 2020. But some in this subset of nonfilers could receive an automatic payment sooner if they got a previous check by using the IRS’ Non-Filers tool, which is now closed. The SSA says this group will not receive an EIP debit card. Here’s our complete guide to stimulus checks for people receiving Social Security benefits.
Watch this: Stimulus check 3: How much money you’ll get
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How the IRS will send your stimulus money now
If you’re getting your new stimulus check delivered now (and not a plus-up), expect to receive it in the mail (how to track it) as a paper check or EIP debit card. However, if you’re an SSI or SSDI recipient who has a Direct Express benefits card, you should get an electronic transfer. Otherwise, look for a check in the mail, but not an EIP card, according to the SSA. (More details below.)
Note that it could take days between the date the IRS or Treasury processes your stimulus money and when you receive it, especially if your check is arriving through the mail. If you moved recently, you need to tell the IRS and USPS.
No check yet? Track your payment online with free tools
The IRS updates its Get My Payment tracker tool for stimulus checks daily. This online app shows the status of your payment, including when a check is scheduled for delivery. You can also use a free tool from the USPS to track your mailed stimulus payment.
The IRS portal also flags if there’s a problem with your payment that you may need to address, but it doesn’t tell you the amount you’ll receive. You’ll see your payment status in the tracker if you receive SSI and SSDI benefits. VA beneficiaries who are veterans and don’t file taxes can check the status of their payments the weekend of April 10 and 11.
If some or all of your stimulus check is delayed, this could be why
Here’s more information on problems you might encounter with your stimulus check.
Stimulus check delivery start and end dates
| Stimulus bill signed into law | March 11 |
|---|---|
| First direct deposits made | March 12 (provisional), March 17 (official) |
| First paper checks sent | Week of March 15 |
| First EIP cards sent | Week of March 22 |
| Last day to get direct deposit | March 24, unless you receive a “plus-up” adjustment for 2020 taxes |
| First Social Security, SSI, SSDI payment sent | Weekend of April 3, most arriving April 7 |
| First plus-up payments | Weekend of April 3 |
| VA benefits for veteran nonfilers | Week of April 14 |
| IRS deadline to finish sending checks | Dec. 31, 2021 (mandated by the bill) |
| Last date to receive a check | January 2022 (if mailed checks sent late December) |
| Final claims for missing stimulus money | 2021 tax season likely (in 2022) |
To report a payment problem, here’s what to do
The IRS doesn’t want you to call if you have any issue with the delivery or amount of your stimulus check. So what to do instead? Our guide walks you through how to report stimulus check problems, including checks that never arrive (try filing a payment trace), direct deposit payments that go to the wrong account and other issues.
If money appears to be missing from your stimulus check…
There are several reasons the IRS may owe you stimulus money after it sends out the third round of checks.
For example, the agency may have processed your 2019 tax return before it received 2020 tax forms and you’re entitled to a bigger payment. If this is your situation, the IRS said it will automatically evaluate if you qualify for more money after it receives your 2020 tax return. It will then send you a supplemental payment for the difference between what you originally received and the amount you now qualify for. You don’t need to take any action to receive this supplemental payment, according to the IRS.
If you had a baby or added a dependent in 2020, the IRS said it will also automatically send you a supplement payment once it receives your taxes this year.
But what if a clerical error accidentally left out a new dependent? Or perhaps your payment never arrived or was accidentally garnished? The IRS may provide a way to file for missing stimulus money before the Dec. 31 deadline. If not, you might have to wait a year to claim it, when you file your 2021 taxes in 2022 (even if you’re a nonfiler who isn’t typically required to file taxes).
If you don’t get all your stimulus check money right away, you may need to address the issue down the road.
Sarah Tew/CNETWhy your 2020 tax return is so important this time
Taxes are now due May 17. So how will the IRS figure out how much it owes you? It will calculate your total (you can also do that here) based on the most recent tax filing it’s processed at the time it’s ready to tabulate the amount of your stimulus check.
If you filed your 2020 taxes early and you know your tax return was already processed, your total will likely be based on your 2020 adjusted gross income, not on your 2019 AGI. That presents complications if the difference between the two years disqualifies you from getting a third stimulus check.
On the flip side, if the IRS uses your 2019 taxes and you’re owed more money based on your 2020 AGI and dependents, you’ll need to claim the difference at a later date. Note that if you filed your 2020 taxes after you got your stimulus payment, this IRS is now sending the catch-up payments now. (Learn more about some of the stimulus check exceptions and catches here.)
Millions may wind up getting a smaller check than they’re owed, depending on their 2020 taxes.
Sarah Tew/CNETDid you know? Stimulus money could still arrive through December
Although the IRS and Treasury are sending stimulus checks now, the agencies have until Dec. 31 to complete distributing the third payments. That’s good news in the sense they aren’t facing a compressed deadline to send out all the checks, as they did for the second stimulus check in December, which only gave them a 17-day window to get the payments out.
On the other hand, the nearly nine-month delivery window also means some people may find themselves waiting for their payment, for a variety of reasons. We’ll have to wait and see how the IRS deals with any fringe issues that arise, such as the need to claim missing money.
You may need more information. Additional payments guides for these groups
Stimulus checks aren’t necessarily a one-size-fits-all situation. Here are additional guides for:
And here’s everything you need to know about the third stimulus check, how to calculate your stimulus total and every way the stimulus bill can bring you more money.