Still haven’t received a second stimulus check? Here’s why

Last month, Congress approved a pandemic relief package that included a second stimulus check of $600 to Americans who qualify. The payment is more for couples and those with child dependents. The payments are starting to roll out, but some people had an unsatisfying message when they checked the IRS website.

Some taxpayers have been using the IR Get My Payment tool to check the status of their stimulus checks. However, some of them have received a notification on the website that said “Payment Status #2 – Not Available.” There were stimulus checks successfully received, but the IRS told CNBC that the people who got this message won’t be able to get a second stimulus check automatically.

CNBC said the IRS didn’t say why the problem is happening to some people. However, it seems to be an issue for people who filed their 2019 taxes with H&R Block & TurboTax.

How to get a second stimulus check with the error

The IRS said that for those who got the message while checking the status of their checks, it’s necessary to wait until filing 2020 taxes to get a second stimulus check. Even some people who had no problems receiving the first check might have this trouble when getting the second one.

The IRS addressed the mixup in a statement: “The IRS advises people that if they don’t receive their Economic Impact Payment, they should file their 2020 tax return electronically and claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on their tax return to get their payment and any refund as quickly as possible.”

The IRS also announced that people should check the IRS.gov website for updated information about getting a second stimulus check. It advised people not to call the agency, their financial institutions, or tax software providers. “IRS phone assistors do not have additional information beyond what’s available on IRS.gov,” the agency’s website said.

A second stimulus check sent to an incorrect account

According to CNBC, some people who filed their 2019 taxes with H&R Block & TurboTax are saying they had a second stimulus check sent to a wrong bank account.

The IRS said banks that received such a payment have to return it so the agency can resend the money to the right accounts. Some taxpayers who this affected told CNBC that their second stimulus checks were rerouted to their correct accounts.

Unqualified for a second stimulus check

Some people didn’t receive a “Payment Status #2” message with the IRS tool, nor did they have their payment sent to the wrong bank account. Some Americans simply don’t qualify for a second stimulus check. For those who didn’t receive a check but don’t know why, maybe the payment is still on the way. However, there are people who won’t be getting a check at all.

For example, those who filed an individual tax return and earned over $87,000 in 2019 didn’t qualify. Joint filers who made over $174,000 didn’t qualify. Additionally, people ages seventeen to twenty-four who were claimed as dependents didn’t qualify. This means millions of Americans won’t see a check in their mailbox or bank account.

Additionally, it’s important to consider whether the payment could have been sent out a different way than the first check. The payment could be sent through mail or through a bank account.

Hope for a third stimulus check

Although many Americans just got a second stimulus check, Joe Biden said “$2000 checks will go out the door”. Before the Georgia runoff elections earlier this week, Biden said that the checks will become reality if two Democratic U.S. Senate candidates beat the incumbent Republican senators. 

The Democrats did win, flipping the House to a Democratic majority by a slim margin. However, people are now wondering if or when Biden’s statement will be realized.