If your third stimulus check hasn’t arrived yet, you’re probably worried about what’s happened to you. but don’t worry too much: start by verifying your bank account because you may have a pending deposit. it is also possible that the check is stuck on the way in the mail. Once you find out the status of your payment, you may be due a supplemental “plus-up” payment if the IRS did not send you enough stimulus money.
however, there might be information you need to act on; If that’s the case, the IRS online tracking tool will let you know. it will also show if you need to submit a payment follow-up for that third missing check. the tool isn’t perfect, but it’s a great way to track the status of your payment. it won’t tell you how much money to expect (not everyone gets $1,400), but you can use our stimulus calculator to estimate that amount.
In mid-July, the IRS will begin disbursing advance child tax credit checks of up to $300 per month for those eligible; you can use this separate calculator for that. Here’s how to claim up to thousands in child care expenses and what we know about a possible fourth stimulus payment. we have updated this story.
irs get my payment: how to use the online tracking tool
To get an update on your third stimulus check using Get My Payment, enter your social security number, date of birth, mailing address, and zip code. the tool will display a message with information about your payment. You can see things like whether your money was sent or is scheduled to be sent, the payment method (direct deposit, paper check, or EIP card), and the date your stimulus money was issued. the tool may also say that it cannot determine its status yet; see more information below about error messages.
what the online payment tool can’t tell you
the irs tool will not give you hourly updates; status information is updated once a day (usually overnight), it won’t tell you how much stimulus money you’re receiving or give you details about the first two approved stimulus checks in 2020. you won’t find steps on what to do if you’re having trouble of payment.
irs doesn’t want you to call if you’re having payment problems. the agency says its representatives have no information beyond what is displayed in the tool. here’s what we recommend doing to address a stimulus issue.
another way to get more information about your third payment is to create an irs account online. If an additional payment is sent to you after your 2020 tax return is processed, you should see the amount of your additional payment in your online account. (The Get My Payment tool won’t tell you the amount of your extra payment, but it might tell you its status.)
you may see a “payment status unavailable” message
Don’t be alarmed if the Get My Payment tool shows you a “payment status not available” message. You may see this message until your payment is processed, according to the IRS. so you may not have to do anything.
but it could also mean you’re not eligible for a payment. so you may want to double check your eligibility and enter your numbers into our stimulus check calculator to see if you are owed money.
you may see a “need more information” message
According to the irs frequently asked questions, a need more information message in the get my payment tool means that your payment was returned because the united states postal service was unable to deliver it.
The FAQ says that you will be able to reissue your payment as direct deposit by providing an account number and bank routing, a prepaid debit card (card must be reloadable), or a financial service account that has a routing and account number associated with it. the FAQ says that you can also update your mailing address to receive your payment.
the irs tool might indicate that the payment was sent to you
If the irs online tool says the agency has issued your stimulus money, but it has no record in your bank account and it never arrived in your mailbox, you may need to take one of these steps, including possibly Submit a stimulus check payment trail. you will need to have the letter the irs sent you.
usps is a great way to track your paper check
if your third stimulus check is mailed, the us postal service. uu. has a free app that can notify you when your irs stimulus money is about to be handed over. informed delivery is a mail tracking service that automatically scans your letters and alerts you when they will be delivered. Here’s more information on how to set up and use USPS’s letter tracking service to track your payment.
don’t lose the letter from the irs confirming your stimulus payment
If the IRS issues you a stimulus check, it mails a notice to your last known address within 15 days of making the payment to confirm delivery. The letter contains information on when and how the payment was made and how to report it to the IRS if you did not receive all the money to which you are entitled. You will need to refer to this information if you do not receive your full payment and need to claim your money later. Here’s how to retrieve the information if you lost or dropped the card.
if the first two stimulus payments never showed up, do this
The IRS no longer automatically sends the first and second payments that are approved in 2020. If you think you’re still owed money from any of those payment rounds, your best chance of claiming those funds is to apply for the IRS Refund Credit. recovery as part of the 2020 tax season.
if you’re eligible, you’ll need to know the amount of money the irs allocated to you, which you can find out online or in the letter the agency sent you. the irs said the updated get my payment tracker will not give you information about the first and second checks. Instead, you must set up and verify your IRS account to get information about those payments.
what you need to know about adding your direct deposit details
You cannot use the Get My Payment tool to sign up for a new account or correct your payment details. Even if the IRS is unable to send your payment to a bank account and the money is returned to the government, you will not be able to correct the details online; the irs says it will mail the money back.
The extended tax deadline was May 17. With the agency’s delay in processing tax returns, trying to sign up for a new direct deposit account with your 2020 tax return won’t get you through the system fast enough. however, if you haven’t filed your taxes yet, signing up for a new direct deposit account could still get you your money faster in the future, like tax refunds or the next child tax credit.
this is what veterans and recipients of ssi, ssdi should know
The IRS Get My Payment Tracking Tool is designed to let you know the status of your third stimulus check. people who receive social security benefits like ssdi and ssi and veterans who do not file taxes can also see their payment status in the tracking tool. Tens of millions of Social Security beneficiaries and veterans should have received their $1,400 payment by now.
For more details on the stimulus check, here’s everything you need to know about the third check. and here’s what we know so far about whether a fourth stimulus check could happen.