Need Your First and/or Second Stimulus Check(s)?

U.S. citizens or resident aliens who:

• Have a valid Social Security Number,
• Cannot be claimed as a dependent of another taxpayer for 2020, and
• Have an adjusted gross income* for 2020 of up to:
  • $75,000 for individuals filing as single or married filing separately
  • $112,500 for individuals filing as head of household
  • $150,000 for married couples filing joint tax returns or individuals filing as a qualifying widow or widower
• Taxpayers can get a reduced payment if their adjusted gross income for 2020 is between the limits shown below:
  • $75,001-$99,000 for individuals filing as single or married filing separately
  • $112,501-$136,500 for individuals filing as head of household
  • $150,001-$198,000 for married couples filing joint tax returns or individuals filing as a qualifying widow or widower

You can still receive a stimulus check even if you don’t earn enough to file taxes. This includes people receiving Social Security retirement, disability (SSDI), survivors benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), veterans benefits, or Railroad Retirement benefits.

Incarceration does not make someone ineligible for the payments.

* What is adjusted gross income?

Adjusted gross income is a number found on your tax return (Line 11 of the 2020 Form 1040 tax return). It is the money you receive (wages, child support, interest, etc.) minus some specific costs, like student loan interest or alimony.

If in 2020, you provided more than half of your own financial support, then no one can claim you as a dependent on their 2020 return.

When a taxpayer claims someone on their tax return, the taxpayer is saying that the taxpayer provided more than half of that dependent’s support.

If you have been falsely claimed as a dependent on someone’s return, then you will not be able to file your own 2020 tax return. You will need the taxpayer who claimed you to amend their tax return to take you off as a dependent. Or you can file your own 2020 return by mail. Then the IRS will take a closer look at who provided more than half your support for 2020. Illinois residents may be able to get free support navigating a false claim of dependency from the Ladder Up Tax Clinic - more details are available in this flyer.

You can use the Where’s My Refund tool on the IRS website to check the status of your tax refund.

You can start checking the Where’s My Refund tool:

• 24 hours after the IRS receives your electronically-filed tax return
• 4 weeks after you’ve mailed the IRS your paper tax return

You can reference the Where’s My Refund Frequently Asked Questions page for more information on the tool.

As long as you meet the eligibility criteria mentioned earlier, you can still file a 2020 tax return to claim your missing stimulus money as the Recovery Rebate Credit - you don’t have to have worked in 2020 to file a 2020 tax return.

The Recovery Rebate Credit can be reduced to pay debts that you owe to Federal government agencies and/or state agencies. The only exception is past-due tax debt - the Recovery Rebate Credit will NOT be reduced to help pay off back taxes that you owe.

For married couples in which one spouse does not have a valid Social Security Number, the spouse with a valid Social Security Number is eligible for the Recovery Rebate Credit.

If you have a dependent child under the age of 17 who does not have a valid Social Security Number, then that child will not qualify you for the $500 dependent payment.

College students who are not considered dependents are eligible. Generally, college students who are under 24, attend full-time, and receive significant financial support from their parents are considered dependents. These students are not eligible.

Current or previous incarceration does not affect your eligibility.

No. As with any tax refund, these payments will not count against your eligibility for receiving public benefits. The payment also will not affect your benefit amounts.

If you’ve moved since you filed your 2020 taxes but the IRS has your bank account information for your refund, you should still get a direct deposit in your account.

If the IRS doesn’t have your bank account on file and you’ve moved, your paper check may go to the wrong place. Be sure to change your address with the U.S. Postal Service.

The US Treasury issues the stimulus check.

Some stimulus checks have been issued on a prepaid debit card called the Economic Impact Payment Card. If you receive an Economic Impact Payment Card, it will come in the mail in a plain envelope from “Money Network Cardholder Services.” The Visa name will appear on the front of the Card; the back of the Card has the name of the issuing bank, MetaBank®, N.A. You can visit https://www.eipcard.com/ for more information.

Death in 2020 does not impact eligibility for the Recovery Rebate Credit. If a person is otherwise eligible for the tax credit, was alive as of January 1, 2020, but passed away sometime in 2020, then they are eligible to receive however much stimulus money from rounds 1 and 2 that they did not receive.