Yes, some people need to return the stimulus money to the IRS. That’s why and how to do

Although about 147 million Americans are eligible to receive a second stimulus check, millions of people are still waiting for a payment from to $ 600. At this point, most will need to claim money on their 2020 taxes, although we’ve heard of people who received payments earlier this week for EIP Card. In some cases, people may have received a check in error and may not have been eligible to keep that money.

If you received a payment that you think you shouldn’t have received – maybe you will more than the specified income limit, for example – the IRS expects you to send the money back. When the first round of stimulus checks was launched in 2020, the IRS said that in certain cases, it accidentally sent payments to people who were not eligible. Because the second round of checks had to be pushed so quickly, it is possible that the same thing happened again. Depending on how you obtained the stimulus payment – for Paper, checked, EIP Card or direct deposit – there are specific ways to return it.

Here are the reasons why the IRS wants you to return a stimulus check that was paid in error and how to do it. It is also important to know your stimulus verification rights and these important details about stimulus checks and taxes. (And here’s what’s going on with a potential third stimulus checkbecause some want to “direct payment”, how much money that the new check could bring and when can it be approved.) This story is updated frequently.

Circumstances in which you need to return your stimulus payment

“Qualifications” refers to how the government determines who is eligible for a second stimulus check. If you fall into any of these categories and receive a stimulus check, it was probably by mistake:

• You received a check from someone who died – but there are some nuances here (below).
• You do not have a Social Security number.
• You are considered a “non-resident foreigner” without an American citizen spouse.
• You are a non-citizen who declares federal taxes.
• Your Adjusted gross salary exceeds the limit; for example, $ 87,000 for a single contributor.
• You are claimed as a dependent about someone else’s taxes.

Here is more information about who does not qualify for the $ 600 stimulus check.

What you should do if you receive a stimulus check for someone who has died

If you received a payment for someone who died in 2019 or earlier, the IRS says you must return the full payment “unless it was made to joint filers and one of the spouses is still alive”. If you are the living spouse, you must return half the payment – just no more than $ 1,200 in all.

However, if the check is issued in your name and in the name of your deceased spouse (and therefore you cannot deposit the money), you will need to return the full amount to the IRS. After the agency processes the returned payment, it will issue a new check for the correct amount to you.

If you cashed or deposited the stimulus check, here’s how to return it

1 Use a personal check or money order and make the check payable to the United States Treasury. You will also need to write EIP 2020 and include the taxpayer identification number or Social Security number of the person whose name is on the check.

two On a separate sheet of paper, tell the IRS why you are sending the check back.

3 – Send the check to the appropriate IRS location – it depends on the state in which you live.

If you haven’t cashed or deposited a paper check, here’s how to send it back

If any of the above applies to you, it may be necessary to send your stimulus check. See how to do this for each scenario, according to the IRS.

1 Write “CANCEL” in the endorsement section on the back of the check.

two Do not bend, clip or staple the check.

3 – On a separate sheet of paper, tell the IRS why you are sending the check back.

4 – Send the check to the appropriate IRS location – it varies depending on the state in which you live.

Never received your stimulus payment? Here’s what to do

If you are among the more than 100 million people who were eligible to receive the second $ 600 stimulus check and it never arrived, you can claim it as a recovery credit discount on your taxes even if you don’t usually file taxes. Alternatively, you may have to start an IRS payment tracking.

If you are not enrolled for direct deposit through the IRS, now is a good time, as a the third stimulus check is on the table. To do this, you’ll need to add your bank information when filing your 2020 taxes this year. We also encourage you to file your taxes as early as possible this year, specifically because of stimulus checks.

To stay up to date on the latest stimulus news, check what happens now that the IRS has stopped sending second stimulus checks. If you are having stimulus verification problems, do this instead of calling the IRS. Also, here’s what’s happening now with a potential third stimulus payment.