Stimulus checks are being mailed out weekly but some won't arrive until September. Here's why

ByDiane Wilson WTVD logo
Thursday, April 30, 2020
Stimulus checks are being mailed out weekly but some won't arrive until September
Stimulus checks are being mailed out weekly but some won't arrive until September

The frustrations continue for many people when it comes to not getting their stimulus money.

As of April 17, the IRS said at least 36 percent of people in North Carolina, for example, have gotten their stimulus money, meaning a lot of people are still waiting.

North Carolina resident Catrina Harvey is one of those frustrated taxpayers waiting on stimulus money.

"I checked the IRS website and said I should have received April 17. When I checked my bank account, it wasn't there," said Harvey.

Harvey got in touch with her bank and learned the stimulus money was sent back to the IRS.

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"They're blaming that's it's coded as checking being deposited into a saving account," Harvey said.

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She says that doesn't make sense as her tax return was deposited into that account with no problem. The IRS tried to deposit her stimulus money again, but it got rejected again by her bank, which only adds to her financial troubles.

"I've been laid off, I'm a single mom, and my only income is unemployment."

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Harvey did just get another update when she checked her payment status on the IRS app; it says a check was mailed to her address on file, so she's hopeful the check will arrive any day now.

Others have reported similar issues. Several viewers claimed the checks went into the wrong account, and some were sent to their tax preparer account.

Another mistake involved stimulus money being deposited into bank accounts of deceased people.

The IRS stated it's working through those glitches and updated their Get My Payment portal.

You can update your direct deposit information and check your payment status on the IRS app or online.

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WHEN WILL YOU GET YOUR STIMULUS MONEY:

If you're on Social Security retirement or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and you filed a federal tax return recently, and you gave direct deposit information to the IRS, you should have gotten your money by now. If you are on Social Security, disability, and those who get survivor benefits and didn't file a federal tax return recently or didn't give direct deposit information, you should get your money by the end of April.

If you get SSI and didn't file a federal tax return the last two years, you' should get your money by early May. If you get Supplemental Security Income or VA benefits and you didn't file a tax return for 2018 or 2019 and have dependents, the IRS announced you will need to act by May 5 to receive the full amount of your stimulus money.

In order to get the $500.00 per eligible child added to your stimulus money, the IRS needs the dependent information before the payments are issued. Otherwise, their payment at this time will be $1,200 and, by law, the additional $500 per eligible child amount will be paid in association with a return filing for tax year 2020.

"We want to 'Plus $500' these groups so they can get their maximum Economic Impact Payment of $1,200 and their $500 for each eligible child as quickly as possible," said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "They'll get $1,200 automatically, but they need to act quickly and use the Non-Filers tool on IRS.gov to get the extra $500 per child added to their payment."

Anyone else who is still waiting for your stimulus money, the the IRS announced it would be sending about five million stimulus checks per week, which could take up to twenty weeks. When it comes to who gets those checks first, the IRS announced it's going to issue paper checks every week based on Adjustable Gross Income (AGI).

The checks will be issued in reverse AGI order starting with people with the lowest incomes first, those who make $10,000 or less. The next phase of checks goes to those who make $20,000 or less will be in the mail May 1, followed by those with incomes of $30,000 or less on May 8, and then continuing in income increments of $10,000 each week, according to the plan.