Stimulus check delivery update: New payment batch, catch-up money, more fine print - CNET

Here's your status update on the IRS making $1,400 stimulus payments -- and what you need to know about the check timeline and potential delays.

Sarah Tew/CNET

The third wave of stimulus check delivery is well on its way, with millions of people set to get their $1,400 stimulus payments on or around April 7 as direct deposits or through the mail (track it here). This represents a new phase in delivering the third stimulus check, and it takes into account Social Security, SSI and SSDI beneficiaries (but not these veterans) and people receiving "plus-up" payments from the IRS. There are adjustments that will go out on a weekly basis to people who got partial checks -- without you filing an amended tax form.

While over 130 million stimulus payments have been sent or are en route, your delivery may not be done yet. The presence of weekly plus-up payments means millions of people didn't get the total amount they're owed, and the IRS knows it. But what happens if there's a mistake and your automatic adjustment never arrives? What if there's a complication with a change to your income or a new dependent, such as a 2020 or 2021 baby?

We dig into the details about the deal with hunting down your paper check or EIP card, why you need to keep this IRS letter, what could delay your check and how to find missing stimulus money, including triggering a payment trace. That's why it's important you know how much money you should expect. We explain more below. In the meantime, here are nine unusual stimulus check facts, discussion of a fourth stimulus check and details on child tax credit payments and eligible CTC dependents. This story was recently updated.

Plus-up payment delivery: What it is, what we know

The IRS said it closed direct deposit payments by March 24, but if the IRS owes you any money because of your 2020 taxes (see that section below), you're eligible to get an electronic transfer of the difference, directly to your bank account. If the IRS doesn't have your details on file, you may receive a paper check, as an adjustment called a plus-up payment. 

The IRS said it will continue to send these plus-up payments on a weekly basis as it processes 2020 tax forms and reevaluates payments.

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How you'll receive your new stimulus check now (if not a plus-up payment)

If you're getting your new stimulus check delivered now, 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 delivered through the mail. If you moved recently, you need to tell the IRS and USPS.

Stimulus check payments so far

	Direct deposit	Paper checks	EIP card	Direct Express card
First payment batch, March 17	90 million ($242 billion)	150,000 ($442 million)	Not released	Not released
Second payment batch, March 24	17 million ($38 billion)	15 million ($34 billion)	5 million ($11 billion)	Not released
Third payment batch, including Social Security, April 3	2 million, including "plus-up" adjustments ($5 billion)	2 million ($5 billion)	Not disclosed	Not disclosed

You can track your stimulus payment status -- here's how

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. 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. The tracker also shows payment status for SSI and SSDI beneficiaries. You can use a free tool from the USPS to track your mailed stimulus payment.

Why your stimulus check delivery could be divided or delayed

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	Mid-April, more details to come
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)

What if you're missing part of your money?

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/CNET

How to report a problem with your stimulus payment

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.

How your 2020 tax return could affect your check's delivery date

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 working to send the catch-up payments now. (Learn more about some of the stimulus check exceptions and catches here.)

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Social Security, SSI, SSDI, veterans, more: What to know about your payment schedule

After a weeks-long holdup, the IRS said it's making payments for SSDI and SSI recipients and retired railroad workers, many of whom automatically qualify for the third check. The first payments started going out April 3, with the majority of payments made electronically -- either through direct deposit or to existing Direct Express cards (PDF) -- by April 7, according to the IRS.

For those who receive veterans benefits, the IRS said it's reviewing data for Veterans Affairs benefit recipients and expects to determine a payment date soon, with payments possibly going out by mid-April. VA beneficiary payment information will in the future be available in the Get My Payment tool, the IRS said.

Note that 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.

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

Sarah Tew/CNET

Stimulus checks could still be arriving through the end of 2021 by law

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 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 details about your stimulus payment you may need to know

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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