Where's my stimulus check? The IRS speaks!
As I reported last month, I was supposed to get my economic stimulus check direct deposited some time on or before May 9. But the day came and went and I got absolutamente nada.I then discovered that the IRS had slipped in a stipulation about how if you had filing fees deducted electronically from your return, your economic stimulus would arrive via paper check. In my case, on or around June 20.
So when I got an envelope from the IRS in today's mail, I got all tingly. Could this be it? And just when I was least expecting it? How delicious!
The front of the envelope said "Information about your stimulus check." But the back of the envelope had "Payment" in big red letters. Oh the suspense as I clumsily tried to open it.
Inside, no check. Instead a letter. "Dear Taxpayer: You are entitled to an economic stimulus payment of $1,800 as provided by the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008. You can expect your payment by 6/20/08.
..."If you received a refund on your 2007 federal income tax return and had it directly deposited into a bank account , we will directly deposit your stimulus payment into the same bank account.
Huh. Well, this did not happen. My refund was direct deposited into my regular bank account. But the stimulus pay never showed.
"I read on. "If your tax refund was directly deposited into a refund anticipation loan account, your stimulus payment check will be mailed to you."
I don't even know what a "refund anticipation loan account is." I certainly don't have one.
I looked up this information on the IRS site here, and noted with alarm that the language is a little different. Maybe it's futile trying to parse government-speak, but I'm left feeling a little queasy.
Apparently Big Brother thinks I have a "Refund anticipation loan account" that I do not have. This doesn't bode well for any stimulus check at all, if you ask me. The promise that I can call an IRS number in six weeks to figure it all out, strangely, offers me no comfort.
Will I get my family's economic stimulus check via snail mail by June 20? Somebody throw me some odds...
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
6-14-2008 @ 12:09PM
Elle Tee said...
A "refund anticipation loan" is what people get when they go to H&R Block, Jackson Hewitt, etc. When those companies promise "Rapid Refunds" or anything that gets you a refund in a day or two, they are
actually giving you a LOAN on the money that you expect to receive from the IRS. People pay hundreds of dollars to get a loan that gives them money in a day when they can get that same money direct-deposited in their banks (in about a week) for FREE.
I don't have any idea of what's going on in your situation, but I decided long ago not to depend on what the IRS says. Many people got their checks on time, and some even got them early. But this is the US government we're talking about, so I just won't believe anything about a check until I see it myself.
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6-29-2008 @ 10:38PM
stacy said...
Just wantto let you know and evrery one else the surprise news that irs rep gave me---if you filed your taxes through TURBO TAX or any other online company-you will onlt get PAPER CHECK based on the last 2 numbers of your social so check the paper check schedule an if your like me, JUly11 I will get mine even though i got a letter 2 days ago that says my check would be here on JUNE 27, and its not here , go figure!~ I hope this helps!
6-14-2008 @ 12:12PM
Elle Tee said...
Just for kicks, I checked the IRS website again and noticed this line:
"Please allow 2 weeks from the date shown on the schedule to receive your payment."
Reply
6-14-2008 @ 2:26PM
Justin said...
I had to pay Taxes this year and I had the IRS Direct Debit what I owed from my bank. Now I find out that because I made it EASIER for the IRS to take my money (they grabbed it within a couple days of filing) they wont Direct Deposit my Stimulus Check Read Below From the IRS Web Site:
Q. I chose direct debit to pay my tax bill. Will my stimulus payment be direct deposited to the same account?
A. No, the account information used for an incoming direct debit payment to the IRS cannot be used as the account information for the direct deposit of the stimulus payment. People who choose direct debit to pay a balance due will receive their stimulus payments by paper check through the mail. [Updated 3/3/08]
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6-15-2008 @ 5:42PM
Eeee said...
Julie,
I am in the exact same situation. My check is due (in the mail) on or around June 27th. I also decided on the RAL (refund anticipation loan) which I don't think I will participate in again. I will not be comfortable until I have that stimulus check in my hand. When and if (sorry!) you receive your check, can you please let us that are in the same boat know?
Thanks,
Elaine
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6-23-2008 @ 3:33PM
Marissa said...
Hi there!
I also am expecting mine on or around June 27th. I wonder if you have recieved the "letter" yet?
6-28-2008 @ 10:09PM
Eeee said...
Hi Marissa,
I have received the letter about a week ago. Interestingly, when I went to the IRS website and put in my info (you know, tax id #, how I filed, etc.) to find out if they knew if I existed or not, I finally received a message saying that I should expect my stimulus check AFTER June 27th. If you noticed on the letter also, it says that the check would be receive ON June 27th and of course, nothing came yet. I am starting to believe it will never come. It might be the old, the check's in the mail trick. I'll believe it when I get it and seriously, I wouldn't be surprised if the check bounces!
6-15-2008 @ 11:58PM
Heidi said...
Well, I'm in the same boat as Ms. Tilsner. And I can explain why. I, too, used a Tax Prep service and opted to have my prep fees taken out of my refund. Because selected this, my refund, even though Direct Deposited, was now considered to be an RAL because it now involved what the IRS calls an 'Intermediary' or a 'Middle Man' to collect the fee. So basically the IRS issues the refund not to he banking information that I had submitted on my 1040, but to the Intermediary's bank where they had set up a 'dummy' acct to receive all of my refund and then forward the rest on to my bank. This means that the IRS DOES NOT HAVE THE BANK INFORMATION THAT YOU PUT ON YOUR 1040. The IRS only has the bank information belonging to the Intermediary so they would be unable to deposit the Stimulus into our acct's since they never received our banking info.
Basically, upon transmission to the IRS, my banking information was changed to the Intermediary's yet on the copy for my record's that I was allowed to print, it clearly shows MY banking information.
I am not alone and there are THOUSANDS affected by this. The IRS has actually put information regarding this on their website because they had so many calls about it. Yes, it stinks. Unfortunatley I don't tink there is anything to do about it.
The issue I have now is I have not yet received my letter stating how much we are to receive yet it shows on the website. We are scheduled for the 20th also. We moved since we received our actual tax return. The IRS has said they have our correct address but whenever the IRS is involved there is bound to be some kind of headache! I can feel it coming on!!
Good luck to you all and I hope our rebates find us soon!!
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6-24-2008 @ 3:53PM
Dorothy said...
I have the same problem. I also have a move involved, and am having my mail forwarded to my new address, as far as I know, the post office will not forward government mail. Am I informed correctly on that issue? Who knows when that check will come!
6-17-2008 @ 8:28PM
Wanna said...
Well thank you IRS it is about time to do something in our own country for our own people instead of giving it all to foreign countries and immigrants.
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6-19-2008 @ 11:31AM
Jen said...
we checked the irs website and it says that our check was mailed on May 23, well its june 19 and no check, and if i call it says to call after june 20, untill then they cant do anything for me.... i just want my check!!!
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6-23-2008 @ 12:10AM
Dody said...
Ours was due June 6th. No check yet. I doubt we will get it. I have stopped looking in the mailbox for it.
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6-23-2008 @ 1:20PM
maggie said...
well, the government sure has not changed its format. the same ole run around, I too, have not recieved my stimulus check, due on the 20th of june,. So what do we do now? call who, and ask what? and when? and how? good luck with that!!!!!!!!!!
Reply
7-23-2008 @ 12:34AM
William P Beverly said...
I mailed a 1040 form to the IRS in May, 2008. I waited a month and called the IRS to confirm that they had received my form for the stimulus payment. Their response was that they had not received the form. IRS suggested that i go online and file, which i did. Irs now tells me they have duplicate forms. Each time i call they tell me they ar trying to resolve this issue. In the meantime i receive a stimulus notice that i would reeive my check on June 30th. Where is my check?
6-24-2008 @ 9:03PM
MIKE said...
The IRS schedule stated my check was mailed may 25. It is june 24 and I have not received my check. I contacted the 1800 # they said I to wait until after june 26. If the post office will not forward government mail......... What happens to it? does it get sent back and if so, than what?. My mistake is placing dependance on it.
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6-27-2008 @ 12:14PM
michelle said...
I am in the same boat I really need this check. We moved and had the mail forwarded, I called the IRS to change my address but they said the check was already printed and will be sent to the old address. It was supposed to be to me on June 13. I called the post office and have talked to three people who all said it would be forwarded. The IRS said it depends on the post office some forward some don't. I called yesterday to the IRS and they said they have not recieved as return mail. I also would like to know how mail forwarding works. on most days we get no forwarded mail at all then about once a week we get a bunch of forwarded mail. Do they hold it all until they have alot to forward or what?
6-27-2008 @ 1:26PM
sara gibbs said...
The same exact thing has happened to me. My stimulus check was mailed on june 6 and it is june 27th. I called the irs and they told me that the usps does NOT forward government check, so I called the usps and they assured me that they DO forward all government checks.. so on and so on... The last time I spoke with the irs and being on hold for 1 hour, I was told that after 30 days of the check being mailed out they can put a trace on it, and to call them back then, or file a claim and it will take 45 days.. so we shall see
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6-28-2008 @ 12:17AM
Bryan said...
I'm in the same boat. I got my letter around the 16th, saying that my check would be RECEIVED by the 20th of June. The online schedule said it would be mailed out by the 20th, so not really worrying about splitting hairs over the verbiage, I was just happy to see that the check was apparently on the way.
My roommate's fiance's check was supposed to be mailed at the same time, as we fell into the same mailing schedule due to our social security numbers.
We live in the same town, have the same post office, yet she received her check on Tuesday and I haven't received mine yet. This is really getting absurd...why did they waste the paper in sending out a "You're check is coming!" letter rather than just taking that time to, oh, I don't know, PROCESS THE CHECK?!? lol
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7-05-2008 @ 11:58AM
maryk said...
I dont know what can be done about all of these mishaps but it doesn't seem right nor fair. Some people that I know have recieved their checks already while others are still waiting even over a month past the expected date and when they call the IRS, they cant even get through to talk to someone. I hope that all of you finally get your money because its only fair that you get what you are entitled to. Dont blow it off because when tax time comes around, the government wont hesitate to take from you.
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7-09-2008 @ 4:10PM
sandy said...
LOL the IRS are a joke..i looked up online "wheres my stimulus check" and was given a ref. # and a phone # with an ext #. I sat on hold for 20 min. then someone finally answered and transferred me to someone else..I thought wooohoooo finally i get to speak to a human!!!. WRONG..i kept getting transferred to someone else, then a recording came on and said "we're sorry, but due to technicle difficulties, your call cannot be completed!!!!" OMG what horseshit!!!
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