The next round of stimulus checks goes out this week

You know the feeling. All of your friends have woken up to find $1,200 freshly deposited in their bank accounts by the Internal Revenue Service; you, on the other hand, are still waiting for your stimulus check.

Perhaps the IRS didn’t have your direct deposit information on file, leaving you to either wait (potentially months) for a paper check to arrive in the mail, or to try to navigate the flaky “Get My Payment” website.

If so, you may not have to wait much longer. The IRS is set to launch its next round of stimulus payments this week—meaning that if you’re not one of the 89.5 million Americans who have received nearly $160 billion combined from the government, your piece of the pie could be on its way. Here’s the rundown on where things stand and what to expect.

Who is next in line to receive stimulus checks?

If the IRS did not previously have your direct deposit information on file, but you were among the first wave of people to use its “Get My Payment” portal to provide that information following its April 15 launch, you’ll likely receive your stimulus payment by the end of this week via direct deposit. That include tax-filers who hadn’t previously provided their bank account information to the IRS, as well as eligible non-filers who entered their information via the “Get My Payment” portal.

Additionally, payments should be arriving as soon as this week for those receiving Social Security benefits and railroad retirement benefits, and as soon as early May for those receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Department of Veterans Affairs benefits.

How can I find out when I will receive my stimulus check?

If you used the “Get My Payment” website to enter your direct deposit information on “any day until noon on Tuesday,” your payment date will be available to you in the portal “beginning the following Saturday,” according to the IRS. If you entered your bank account information after that noon Tuesday deadline, then your payment information should be available in the portal “beginning the Saturday after next.”

So if, for example, you entered your direct deposit details into “Get My Payment” by noon ET this Tuesday, April 28, your payment date should be available beginning this Saturday, May 2. If you provided those details after noon ET on Tuesday, your payment date won’t be available until the following Saturday, May 9.

The “Get My Payment” portal isn’t working for me. What should I do?

You’re not alone. The online tool has been plagued by complaints from users, many of whom have been unable to log in and access its services despite being eligible for stimulus payments.

While the IRS initially brushed off complaints in claiming the website was “operating smoothly and effectively” after its launch earlier this month, the agency announced “significant enhancements” to the portal earlier this week (though it stopped shy of specifying just what those enhancements are).

In order to log in to “Get My Payment,” you need to enter your Social Security number (or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number), date of birth, street address, and zip code. Once logged in, if you’d like to provide your direct deposit banking information, you’ll also need to verify your adjusted gross income from your most recent tax filing, and the amount that was refunded to you or which you owed in taxes that year—so it would be a good idea to have your tax return on hand.

And if you still can’t log in to the portal? Here’s a neat little trick: try entering your street address in all caps.

Can I change the existing bank account information I have on file with the IRS?

No. If your bank account information has changed since you last filed your taxes, or if you’d rather have the money deposited into a different bank account, the IRS will not allow you to change or update the bank account information currently on file. The agency says this is to “help protect against potential fraud.”

If the existing bank account on file with the IRS has been closed and/or is no longer valid, the bank will reject the direct deposit and the IRS will mail a paper check to the address it has on file.

Can I change the mailing address I have on file with the IRS?

No, the IRS will not allow you to change your mailing address via the “Get My Payment” portal. If you opt to receive a paper stimulus check in the mail, it will be sent to the most recent address on file with the IRS. If you’ve yet to file your 2019 tax return, the agency suggests filing as soon as possible with your new address in order to update your records.

I’m not providing my direct deposit information to the IRS. How long does it take to receive a stimulus check via mail?

Potentially months. The government is able to process, print, and send only roughly 5 million checks a week—so if you’re not receiving your payment electronically, be prepared to wait.

Once your paper stimulus check is mailed, it will take up to 14 days to receive the payment, according to the IRS.

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