Why Didn’t I Receive My Economic Stimulus Check?
It’s early May, the last two digits of my social security number are between 00-20 and I filed my taxes on time with a direct deposit and I have some serious spending to do – where is my stimulus? Well, serious spending is more like a new ceiling fan and light fixtures, but hey, I can’t do my part to stimulate the economy without my stimulus check.
It seems I’m not the only one who hasn’t received theirs either. Countless websites are reporting people who fulfill all of the requirements to receive their direct deposit by May 2 but haven’t. Are any of you still waiting? Don’t worry, your not the only one. More than likely, if you have not received your direct deposit yet, you will receive a paper check instead (look at the possible reasons why below).
If you wish to check on the status of your stimulus payment, click here.
Possible Reasons You Have not Received Your Stimulus Check
(If any of these apply to you, then you will receive a paper check instead.)
• If you had filing or preparation fees deducted from your 2007 refund
• If you received a rapid refund
• If you amended your original 2007 tax return.
• You owed taxes or paid into the federal government rather than received a refund.
• If the tax refund you received via direct deposit has “RALDEPT” in the transaction description at the bank. (This means that the refund went through a third party bank because the IRS didn’t have your banks information…not your fault but it still happens.)
As a reminder, the payment scheduled based off of the last two digits of you social security number is below.
Stimulus Payment Schedule for Tax Returns
Direct Deposit Payments
If the last two digits of your Social Security number are: Your economic stimulus payment deposit should be sent to your bank account by:
00 – 20 May 2
21 – 75 May 9
76 – 99 May 16
Paper Check
If the last two digits of your Social Security number are: Your check should be in the mail by:
00 – 09 May 16
10 – 18 May 23
19 – 25 May 30
26 – 38 June 6
39 – 51 June 13
52 – 63 June 20
64 – 75 June 27
76 – 87 July 4
88 – 99 July 11
Once you do finally get it, here is an article that discusses what we think you should do with it. Push down credit, save it, invest….just don’t blow it.
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Comments
If I understand you correctly, you accidently claimed somebody on your 2007 taxes and did not change the mistake and filed anyways. Assuming the IRS accepted your return, I would think it is safe to say you will get the rebate.
However, because those who claim eligible children receive an additional $300 rebate, if you claimed a child on accident you may run into problems in this area.
Maybe you could consider amending your return for peace of mind. Consider this URL as a resource http://taxes.about.com/od/taxtrouble/a/form1040X.htm
I too did not receive my stimulus check when scheduled. I filed my taxes early[Feb] and got direct deposit. There is no reason for the delay.I didn’t file late, I didn’t take a loan on my tax rebate, I don’t owe anything etc. but still no stimulus check. What a bunch of crap when your expecting it by a certain date. I gone to the website to check the status of my check but when I put all the correct information in it says there is no information on my check. I don’t even know what else to do to find out what the problem is.
My sister in law and her husband got theres on time and so did my father in law. I was the first one to file my taxes out of all of them did direct deposit and still im sitting waiting on the money and they all have theres. The last 2 of my soc are 57 which means yesterday right…………nope not at all. waht a crock the irs what a crock
@Doug: I am in the same boat…Everything was crossed and dotted but nothing yet. I was due for it yesterday so I am hoping its pending and I just can’t see it because Suntrust isn’t the greatest.
@Jason: Yea, and the IRS is eerily quiet about these delays…they are all over the place. I need to sit down and do some more digging.
I’m willing to bet that most of you filed your taxes with software such as TurboTax - if this is the case and you paid for the filing through their service, you will receive a paper check at the later date.
By any chance, did you guys file using TurboTax Online? I was expecting the money to hit my account yesterday but it never did and is still not in there this morning. Last 2 of my social are 48 so my direct deposit date was supposed to be on March 9th.
I just found this on the TurboTax website
http://turbotax.intuit.com/support/kb/tax-content/tax-tips/6255.html
I checked the turbo tax website as well as the IRS link and it states that the information for payment will be available a week before your rebate is issued. My last #s are 16 and I did file direct deposit through Turbo Tax. It also states that paper check will be sent on May 16. I’ve been checking since last friday… and it still has no information on mine.
Thoughts? Anyone?
@Jessica: I think you and I are in a similar situation…it seems that when taxes are filed through Turbo Tax, there is a temporary bank account set up to funnel the refunds through to the owners account, but now that the temp account has been deleted the IRS hits a road block and it gets tossed into the “mail” pile. Looks like we are dealing with snail-mail now. We are putting together an article about the details of this now.
yea, I wasn’t supposed to get mine till the last batch, but it came about a week ago. Amazing how it works… Either way, I’m $1800 richer than before, so I can’t complain…
@Hank: Nice…any ideas as to what you are going to do with it? Something frugal no doubt? 
I’m wondering is that the same for people using TAXCUT software when filing (reason for delay of stimulus payment)?
Windell
@Windell: I think that the procedure is pretty standard for all third-party filing firms. I can’t remember checking the mail so much either.
I also have been waiting for my tax stimulus payment and according the IRS website I was to have my direct deposited no later then the 9t of May, here it is 17th of May and still no deposit has been credited to my checking account. I think the IRS should have been more clear on the “qualifications”. I had no clue that because I had my tax preparer take money from my refund for their service fees that it would automatically bounce me into receiving a paper check instead of direct deposit. Thank you for the information you have provided here on this link, it did help ease some of the anxiety I have been having with this whole tax stimulus check that the IRS promised.
I’m in the same boat. Infact I completed my Taxes in late Janurary and still they can’t even give me my $600 bucks on time. I wonder why I even bother doing my Taxes early?? Maybe next year I’ll wait until the last minute since thats how the IRS feels about us.
There is not question the IRS could have been more transparent in explaining the if ands and buts with the stimulus payments.
I filed my taxes through TRUBO TAX with the direct deposit. I know that the IRS had to deposit the refund into the Santa Barbra Bank, then into my bank. I have not received the deposit yet for the stimulus. Although, my friend went through TURBO TAX, and did the same as I, and did receive his stimulus deposit on the date that the IRS stipulated.
Your guess is as good as mine.
I just hope that I do get it, because I may have been foolish and signed a promisary note for $1,300.00 on a van that my family despratly needs. This will not be a good thing if the IRS does not come through.
@ Joe I’m sure you can expect to receive the check during the paper date for your SS #
I received a paper letter from the IRS stating that I would receive my payment before or on the 23rd of this month. Letter was dated the 19th. I have yet to receive my payment and I am on Social Security Disability. My socail security number ends with 10. Whats up with that? I go into the IRS websit and put the information in as requested and it states they have no record of my information. Any ideas? I don’t owe any money to the IRS, Student Loans, and filed the paperwork myself. Are the checks coming in late even though IRS letter states the latest I will receive it is on the 23 of May?
@Franny: Its hard to say what exactly is going on with the Federal government. There is some content out there (http://www.gatherlittlebylittle.com/2008/05/08/didnt-receive-your-economic-stimulus-check/)
that might help, but hopefully its just something as simple as the mail being slow.
[...] their check. Some people have already recieved their paper check. Others are in my boat and haven’t recieved their payment [...]
I had direct deposit. My refund was deposited March 11. There were no problems with my paperwork. I was due my Stimulus check May 9. It is now June 10, and still no check.
My check should have been mailed June 6th. It’s June 20th, no check… the USPS doesn’t take this long…
Hi,
I owed fed tax this year, and I haven’t received my stimulus yet. Does that mean I won’t be receiving it at all? Do they deduct what I owe them in fed from my stimulus? Thanks for answering!
I owe to and got a letter last week saying I was to receive my check on the 20th and havnt got it yet.Any Ideas???
I was supposed to get mine over a week ago. I hadn’t received a letter or anything telling me that I was getting one. I finally called the IRS and waited 40 minutes on hold before I spoke to someone. As it turns out, it was sent, but to and address that I haven’t used in almost 5 years!!! They insisted that I put this address on my return, but there’s no way I would have done that. I had to correct the address and they told me that once the post office returns it, they’ll mail it back to the correct address. A process that could take over 2 weeks! So if you haven’t heard ANYTHING yet, I’d call them ASAP!
@ Scott - I can tell you from my experience that the date the letter said I would get my refund was about a week behind the date I actually recieved it. So hold on, it should be there soon!
@ Toby - Great advice. If after doing the research and you are sure you should have recieved your check by now, try giving them a call or checking the status here
https://sa2.www4.irs.gov/irfof/IRServlet?app=IRACTC
As far as I can tell I fit all the criteria for the stimulus check and should have already received it. I only made about $15,000, no one can claim me, and I didn’t owe anything in. I filed my federal return in February with the free E-file from the link on the IRS website. My actual refund was direct deposited in the first week of March. I’ve called the hotline and checked my status on the website and it always gives me the same line..”we are sorry but we have no specific info..blah blah blah” I also never even got a notification saying whether or not I’d get a stimulus check. Any ideas what’s going on??
Thanks so much for your help, guys. I think I’ll go visit the IRS in person. I’ll keep you posted.
I have acidently said i claim someone and i didn’t make chnage to it and just went ahead and pay the irs what i owe do i still receive my tax?