Stimulus check timeline update: Third payment, IRS scorecard, SSI delivery - CNET

If you didn't get your stimulus check, when's it coming? If you did, are you sure you got the right amount? Here's what you need to know.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Is another round of third stimulus checks ready to go out this week? The IRS and Treasury Department have so far delivered 127 million payments to eligible people, but at least 30 million more Americans who could expect to see a $1,400 payment soon because the IRS and Treasury on Tuesday announced it will shortly send payments to SSI, SSDI and veteran beneficiaries.

Now that the IRS has stopped making payments via direct deposit as of March 24, it could take a while for the checks to arrive for many people, depending on how you get them. Social Security beneficiaries, however, will see funds added electronically to an existing benefits card (more on that below), but other qualified recipients should expect paper checks and EIP debit cards, which could take longer, especially with the US Postal Service reportedly experiencing delays (you can track your check in the mail).

So when you know a payment is on the way, what's the best way to track your check with the IRS and what happens if there's a problem with your check? (Fact: The IRS doesn't want to hear your stimulus woes.) And if the IRS uses your 2019 taxes to calculate your share and it owes you money based on a changed AGI or new dependents, like a 2020 baby, you may not get your full payment for months -- details below. Plus, here's where discussions for a fourth stimulus check stand and what to know about the child tax credit payments if you have qualified kids. This story is frequently updated.

Third stimulus check delivery: The IRS scorecard and timeline

The IRS and Treasury have distributed 127 million third stimulus payments to date, and are now prepping tens of millions more. People who didn't receive a direct deposit by March 24 will receive a stimulus payment in the mail as a paper check or EIP debit card. With mail delays continuing though, it's not clear how long it will take from the time the IRS or Treasury sends your payment to the date you receive it. 

The IRS announced a delivery date for SSI and SSDI recipients who are waiting for their payment, especially through Direct Express (see below). If your life circumstances changed between your second check and now, any complications could hold up your payment. If you moved recently, tell the IRS and USPS.

Here's how the checks have been sent so far:

Stimulus check scorecard: Payments so far

	Direct deposit	Paper check	EIP card	Direct Express card
First payment batch (by March 17)	90 million ($242 billion)	150,000 ($442 million)	Not released	Not released
Second payment batch (by March 24)	17 million ($38 billion)	15 million ($34 billion)	5 million ($11 billion)	Not released
Social Security, including SSI, SSDI	Not disclosed	Not disclosed	Not disclosed	Up to 30 million, starting April 3 and 4

You can track your third stimulus payment status with the IRS and USPS

The IRS updates its Get My Payment tracker tool for stimulus checks daily. This online app shows you the status of your payment, including when a check is scheduled for delivery. The IRS portal can also flag if there's a problem with your payment you may need to address, but it doesn't tell you the amount you'll receive. You can use a free tool from the USPS to track your mailed stimulus payment.

Current details for Social Security, SSI, SSDI, veterans and other federal beneficiaries to know

After a weeks-long holdup, the IRS said it is ready to start making payments for SSDI and SSI recipients, veterans and retired railroad workers, many of whom automatically qualify for the third check approved as part of President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion relief package. The IRS said the first payments for those who receive federal benefits will come the weekend of April 3, and "the majority of these payments would be sent electronically and received on April 7."

Many will receive their money through a Direct Express card (PDF) if this is how they normally get benefits, and if they didn't file taxes in 2019 or 2020.

However, some in this subset of non-filers could receive an automatic payment sooner if they got a previous check by using the IRS' Non-Filers tool, which is now closed. In that case, you could get your payment in the current wave. Here's our complete guide to stimulus checks for people receiving Social Security benefits.

Stimulus check delivery start and end dates

Stimulus bill passed Congress	March 10
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
SSI and SSDI payments sent	Weekend of April 3
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)
Claims for missing stimulus money open	2021 tax season likely (in 2022)

Here's what may delay or split up delivery of your stimulus check

Here's more information on problems you might encounter with your stimulus check.

Now playing: Watch this: Stimulus check 3: How much money you'll get

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If there's a problem with your payment, the IRS doesn't want you to call. Do this instead

Sorry, but the IRS really 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? See our guide that 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 more. 

Why your tax return situation could present a delivery hurdle

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 your check.

If you don't get all your stimulus check money right away, you may need to address the issue down the road.

Sarah Tew/CNET

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. (Learn more about some of the stimulus check exceptions and catches here.)

If you end up missing money from your stimulus payment, you'll need to claim it later

There are several reasons the IRS may owe you stimulus money after it sends out the third round of checks. Maybe the agency processed your 2019 tax return instead of 2020 and there was a discrepancy? Or maybe you had a baby in 2020 that you still need to claim as a dependent? Maybe a clerical error accidentally left out a new dependent? Perhaps your payment never arrived or was accidentally garnished?

Whatever the reason, 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 non-filer who isn't typically required to file taxes.)

Millions may wind up getting a smaller check than they're owed, depending on their 2020 taxes.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Stimulus checks could technically still arrive into December

Although the IRS and Treasury are sending stimulus checks now, the agencies have until Dec. 31, 2021, 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 with 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. 

Additional stimulus payment information these specific groups should know about

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.

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