Information Regarding Stimulus Payments

[JPie]

I received this from my state senator, and I thought others may find it helpful.



Dear Constituent,

If you have not yet received a coronavirus stimulus payment from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), below is a guide to navigating the IRS online tool, along with some answers to why some people have not yet received payments. And if you'd like to volunteer at one of the many community services that need extra help, you can find out how to do so at the end of this message.

First, under the federal CARES Act, individuals who earn up to $75,000 a year are eligible for payments of $1,200, and couples who file jointly and earn up to $150,000 a year are eligible for $2,400. An additional $500 is provided per child. For individuals who earn more than $75,000 and couples who earn more than $150,000, the amount of the stimulus gradually decreases. Note that non-U.S. citizens are not eligible for stimulus payments, nor are U.S. citizens who are married to non-U.S. citizens and file joint tax returns.

The IRS's online tool, Get My Payment, was designed to allow users to input bank account information to set up direct deposit and to track payments. But the tool and the IRS's administration of the program have experienced problems.

Here is a guide to troubleshooting:

1. First, go on the IRS's Get My Paymentpage. Then click on "Get My Payment."
2. Fill out the online form, including entering your direct deposit information. For many people, this is all you need to do, and you will receive your stimulus payment soon. However, for others, you may get a message: "Payment Status Not Available."
3. There are several reasons for the "Payment Status Not Available" message. Here are some:

• You receive an SSA or RRB Form 1099 or Social Security or VA benefit
  If you fall in this category, it's likely you don't normally file a tax return, thus IRS hasn't loaded your data into its system yet. Check the Get Payment page in a few days to see if the IRS has updated the system.
  
• You filed a 2019 return, but the IRS hasn't finished processing it.
  Keep checking back with the tool once a day to see if your return has been processed. Once it has been, you'll be able to enter your direct deposit information.
  
• You used your bank account to make an electronic payment to the IRS but you have not previously received a refund direct deposit from the IRS.
  You will need to provide the IRS with your direct deposit info through the tool. If you are receiving the Payment Status Not Available message, it's likely that the IIRS has not processed your 2019 return yet.
  
• You use Turbo Tax, H&R Block, or other tax-preparation apps to file your taxes.
  According to the IRS, it doesn't have direct deposit information for many users of these apps, thus the Get My Payment tool may give you a "Payment Status Not Available" message. The IRS and Treasury departments are aware of this problem and are working on a fix.
  
• You may not have answered the security questions correctly.
  The Get My Payment tool asks security questions to verify your identity. If you made an error entering the information requested, the tool can temporarily lock you out. Try again a day later.
  
• The bank account you used previously for direct deposit is closed or changed
  If Get My Payment indicates your payment has been processed, the system won't let you change your bank account information. According to the IRS, your old bank will reject the deposit and then the IRS will mail your payment to the address it has on file for you.
  
• You're not eligible for a payment: See Eligibility

Note: The IRS updates the tool every day with new information, so there's no need to check back more often than once a day. It may take the IRS a while to fix the problems with the online tool and direct deposit payments. Those who do not receive their payment by direct deposit, will get their stimulus payment in the mail, but not likely until May or later.

Undocumented Immigrants: Although undocumented immigrants are not eligible for stimulus payments, Gov. Newsom announced a new $125 million relief program that will provide payments of $500 to undocumented individuals and $1,000 to families.

Volunteering: Research indicates doing good for others can be a great stress reducer. This week, Gov. Newsom announced a new one-stop website to help find volunteer opportunities at food banks, blood banks, 211-information operators, and much more: CaliforniansforAll.ca.gov.

Finally, please see my Covid-19 Resource Page for more information on state, federal, and local resources during this crisis. I hope you find this information helpful. It's an honor serving you in the California Senate.

 

[Asscherhalo_lover]

Yup, I use turbotax, still nothing for me.

 

[asscherisme]

JPie, thanks for posting.

One important number that is missing is that those who file as head of households (usually single parents) get the full $1,200 if their gross adjusted income is under $112,500. Almost no media mentions this. I know I am not the only single parent on this board so I thought this might be helpful.

Also, child is defined as 16 or under. So, zero for my 17 year old.

 

[OboeGal]

Thank you for posting the info, @JPie - I hope it is helpful for folks.

I have a question for anyone who might know the answer. In response to this:

Note that non-U.S. citizens are not eligible for stimulus payments, nor are U.S. citizens who are married to non-U.S. citizens and file joint tax returns.

Why on earth are legal residents/green card holders being punished here by getting no stimulus if they are paying taxes into the system? And even worse, why are legal citizens married to them and filing jointly being punished? Why have I not heard this before, and why aren't more people speaking out against this? Unless someone can give me a reeeeeaaally good reason for this, I can only conclude that this is blatant and disgusting discrimination against legal immigrants.

This is very personal to me. DH left behind everyone he loved (except me), including elderly parents, to come here and bring nearly 30 years of expertise to help research how to best protect our men and women in uniform. We did everything absolutely perfectly by-the-book for immigration, but he held a green card for many, many years before he was eligible to get his citizenship, and in that time he paid tons of taxes into the system, in addition to his professional contribution to our military through those years. I am incensed that, if this had occurred just before he received his citizenship, he would have been punished like this after all he had contributed to this country. And that I would have been financially punished just for being married to him!

Please, someone - give me an actual GOOD reason for this. I am beside myself that this country would treat LEGAL immigrants who have been paying into the system, and the citizens who love them, like this. I don't want to believe that this place has become THAT hostile and discriminatory to ALL immigrants.

 

[GreenPapaya]

Hmmm, I did not know that either. My brother got the $1200 and he's a green card holder, will they take it back next tax filing?
I wish the income limits were higher for NYC...

 

[Karl_K]

green card holders get it, but anyone in the process of getting one and their spouse will not.
It mainly affected "dreamers." or others with a work permit but not a green card and their citizen spouse.
My wifey has a green card and a friend of ours husband is a "dreamer".
We both got it and neither of them did.
Total BS, if they want to withhold it from non-green card holders fine that makes sense but the citizen spouse should have got it.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Total BS, if they want to withhold it from non-green card holders fine that makes sense but the citizen spouse should have got it.

Yup!

 

[LemonMoonLex]

Damn, not giving it to legal citizens that are spouses of non green card carriers is CRAZY.
I get not giving it to non-citizens or non-card holders but their legal spouses?!? Wtf is that

 

[GreenPapaya]

That's crazy. Anyone working and living here should get it. And families should get credit for all dependents regardless of age. I hope this is addressed in the next stimulus package. Heck, if it was me I'll give everyone 2K a month until next summer.

 

[yssie]

If this was truly about helping Americans - anyone who pays taxes would be eligible. You pay into the system, the system helps you when you need help, simple as that. It’s not really about helping people though, it’s just furthering a wholly-transparent political agenda.

 

[scouty]

Also incarcerated citizens are not eligible.

 

[scouty]

With the CARES act Congress did not mention excluding incarcerated citizens at all. The IRS took it upon themselves to devise their own policy. What is the justification for this?

 

[Dancing Fire]

I hope this is addressed in the next stimulus package. Heck, if it was me I'll give everyone 2K a month until next summer.

Heck, why not just give a million dollars to everyone so we can all retire?. Some people just don't understand the damages these stimulus package is doing to the US dollar. Why do you think gold has skyrocketed lately?. If we keep on printing money like this a loaf of bread or a gal of milk will soon cost $20. Have you notice the big spike in food prices lately?

 

[GreenPapaya]

I'm in Brooklyn. A gallon of organic milk has been ~$15 since before the virus. A million is quite a bit more than 2k. Giving 2k to people and having people spend that money directly helps the economy. The stimulus packages are not driving the prices of goods up (as far as I can tell from reading). Prices of groceries here are slightly up but nothing crazy. Maybe your grocery stores are price gauging?

I thought the price of gold increased because of demand for gold? I was not aware that the us dollar was linked or backed by gold.

The us government can afford the stimulus plans to help its citizens. I don't think the stimulus packages are harming the country, in fact I don't think we're doing enough.

However, I'm not an economist, but my coworkers are and my husband is a financial person and none have expressed the concerns that you have.
You're right. I don't understand what you're saying, especially since projections for inflation is below 2% for the next two years.
I think the only inflation I've read about were in the stock market and real estate. Goodness, if it keeps going like this for the next 10 years I can retire early! I won't even need the $1 million you proposed
My inlaws are French and have been retired since they were 55 and don't have to worry about income (gov pension) or healthcare. It's so freeing!

 

[Arcadian]

I'm in Brooklyn. A gallon of organic milk has been ~$15 since before the virus. A million is quite a bit more than 2k. Giving 2k to people and having people spend that money directly helps the economy. The stimulus packages are not driving the prices of goods up (as far as I can tell from reading). Prices of groceries here are slightly up but nothing crazy. Maybe your grocery stores are price gauging?

I thought the price of gold increased because of demand for gold? I was not aware that the us dollar was linked or backed by gold.

The us government can afford the stimulus plans to help its citizens. I don't think the stimulus packages are harming the country, in fact I don't think we're doing enough.

However, I'm not an economist, but my coworkers are and my husband is a financial person and none have expressed the concerns that you have.
You're right. I don't understand what you're saying, especially since projections for inflation is below 2% for the next two years.
I think the only inflation I've read about were in the stock market and real estate. Goodness, if it keeps going like this for the next 10 years I can retire early! I won't even need the $1 million you proposed
My inlaws are French and have been retired since they were 55 and don't have to worry about income (gov pension) or healthcare. It's so freeing!

If you're paying 15 dollars for a gallon of milk, blame New York for that. a basic gallon of milk where I am is 3.00. Cities, states, and grocery stores, not the feds, have to do with the price of milk.

The US government doesn't have the money that some thing they do. They are consistently robbing Peter to pay Paul, and they use the money that is we citizens put in for SSI as a piggy bank for their pork projects.

Several agencies who really should not have had the budget cuts, had the budget cuts. and, there were also budget cuts in some areas that should not have them as we move more into the electronic age.

As said before, we as a country cannot continue to write checks our asses can't cash. Basically even though we have gold, and the price of our money is backed by it, the price of oil and other goods are also backed by our dollar. Lots of things tied to our dollar and from a worldwide standpoint, it will make others look elsewhere as their money does not go as far here.

What we don't want is another situation like Venizuela where the money is pretty much worthless.

 

[Dancing Fire]

The us government can afford the stimulus plans to help its citizens. I don't think the stimulus packages are harming the country, in fact I don't think we're doing enough.
FYI, the US government is already $26 trillion in debt.

However, I'm not an economist, but my coworkers are and my husband is a financial person and none have expressed the concerns that you have.
They need to go back to school and learn basic economic 101.

You're right. I don't understand what you're saying, especially since projections for inflation is below 2% for the next two years.
That excludes food and energy inflation.

I think the only inflation I've read about were in the stock market and real estate. Goodness, if it keeps going like this for the next 10 years I can retire early! I won't even need the $1 million you proposed
If we keep on printing money like we have lately people can't afford to retire even with $10 million in the bank let alone 1 million.

 

[Asscherhalo_lover]

I'm in Brooklyn. A gallon of organic milk has been ~$15 since before the virus. A million is quite a bit more than 2k. Giving 2k to people and having people spend that money directly helps the economy. The stimulus packages are not driving the prices of goods up (as far as I can tell from reading). Prices of groceries here are slightly up but nothing crazy. Maybe your grocery stores are price gauging?

I thought the price of gold increased because of demand for gold? I was not aware that the us dollar was linked or backed by gold.

The us government can afford the stimulus plans to help its citizens. I don't think the stimulus packages are harming the country, in fact I don't think we're doing enough.

However, I'm not an economist, but my coworkers are and my husband is a financial person and none have expressed the concerns that you have.
You're right. I don't understand what you're saying, especially since projections for inflation is below 2% for the next two years.
I think the only inflation I've read about were in the stock market and real estate. Goodness, if it keeps going like this for the next 10 years I can retire early! I won't even need the $1 million you proposed
My inlaws are French and have been retired since they were 55 and don't have to worry about income (gov pension) or healthcare. It's so freeing!

That's overkill (the milk). I'm only a few miles away from Queens and a gallon of organic milk from TJs is 5.50 or 6. No where near 15.

 

[GreenPapaya]

Yes of course, I blame the price of milk on the stores (looking at you Lincoln grocery!). I was responding to Dancing Fire's fears about the cost of milk, not blaming the feds or any government agency.

I thought the dollar was no longer backed by gold for quite a few years now.

Yes of course, I definitely don't want the USA to be like Venezuela, I mean, it's a dictatorship! I have spent some years in the khmer rouge work camp and have also served time in the US Army. I definitely support democracy. Anyway, the falling dollar value seems to be related to the uncertainty of the stock market and the pandemic and not the stimulus packages.

The 26 trillion is not all from the stimulus package. We can roll back the recent tax cuts...

 

[GreenPapaya]

@Asscherhalo_lover
I know . The local grocery store here have always been expensive. I think the cheapest milk was 4.99 for half a gallon of not organic. I think whole foods is 5.99 and Trader's Joe's is 3.29? Unfortunately TJ is ~3 miles away and whole foods not that much closer. That's about 6 miles up and down hills. I bought a carriage thing for grocery but it's impossible to push that thing up/ down the sidewalks and pot holes for 6 miles. After months of carrying groceries I have pains in my shoulders, back and hips. I went to the doctor this past Friday and found out I've twisted and inflamed my shoulders and lower back. Thankfully I'm intolerant to diary and my kids only uses it occasionally for cookies. But dang, the tomatoes, why are they $7 for a pint???

 

[Arcadian]

Yes of course, I blame the price of milk on the stores (looking at you Lincoln grocery!). I was responding to Dancing Fire's fears about the cost of milk, not blaming the feds or any government agency.

I thought the dollar was no longer backed by gold for quite a few years now.

Yes of course, I definitely don't want the USA to be like Venezuela, I mean, it's a dictatorship! I have spent some years in the khmer rouge work camp and have also served time in the US Army. I definitely support democracy. Anyway, the falling dollar value seems to be related to the uncertainty of the stock market and the pandemic and not the stimulus packages.

The 26 trillion is not all from the stimulus package. We can roll back the recent tax cuts...

If we were to roll back the cuts, you realize it would affect those that need to keep the money in their pockets more right?

Most of the money comes from the middle class. And, you have the upper middle class who choose to move to places where their money goes further. (I'm not going to lie, its what I did!)

To raise taxes in the right now will be death to the party that does it. Unemployment numbers have to start going well into the opposite direction before any politician should discuss raising taxes.

US Politics at current is like a teeter totter. Over the years (decades) those of us who have been around long enough have seen the extremes left and right leanings.

And frankly the biggest misfortune of that is, when you remove those in the middle, and remove their voice, nothing gets done except lots of bickering on the far left and far right.

Trump was the president we deserved. I have always said this because we as a country, stopped listening to those who were willing to work across party lines, and went into the extreme.

I honestly hope that we as a country learn from this (not betting on it, but I do remain hopeful)

 

[GreenPapaya]

Of course not right now. After the pandemic and everything sorts of goes back to normal and unemployment is low again.

I wasn't aware the recent tax cuts helped the middle class or the poor. My understanding was the top 5% and corporations recieved the biggest cuts.

Would it be that harmful to roll back those cuts? That money isn't going back into the economy from what I understand. It's just going to investments and savings.

I agree and hope that we learn from this and work together as a country going forward. I think we will. We just need empathy and to keep talking to each other. I think most of us generally want the same things -affordable housing, education, healthcare and food, employment and an opportunity to better ourselves.

 

[Asscherhalo_lover]

Yes of course, I blame the price of milk on the stores (looking at you Lincoln grocery!). I was responding to Dancing Fire's fears about the cost of milk, not blaming the feds or any government agency.

I thought the dollar was no longer backed by gold for quite a few years now.

Yes of course, I definitely don't want the USA to be like Venezuela, I mean, it's a dictatorship! I have spent some years in the khmer rouge work camp and have also served time in the US Army. I definitely support democracy. Anyway, the falling dollar value seems to be related to the uncertainty of the stock market and the pandemic and not the stimulus packages.

The 26 trillion is not all from the stimulus package. We can roll back the recent tax cuts...

That's just awful, I think you're better off with fresh direct!

 

[GreenPapaya]

I've never used them! Or any grocery delivery service. I'm ordered everything online but food. I think there's a long wait for time slots. My coworkers set their alarm to 3am to get delivery slots. I guess I can do that too since I have insomnia. But will they be as picky as I am??? The food is fresh? If I do that there's no longer any reason for me to step out of my apartment. Ever. Hmmm.

 

[Asscherhalo_lover]

I've never used them! Or any grocery delivery service. I'm ordered everything online but food. I think there's a long wait for time slots. My coworkers set their alarm to 3am to get delivery slots. I guess I can do that too since I have insomnia. But will they be as picky as I am??? The food is fresh? If I do that there's no longer any reason for me to step out of my apartment. Ever. Hmmm.

Fresh direct does not go to the store for you, they are their own store! I have several city friends who swear by them. It's def worth trying and they have many coupon codes available to try for the first time. They even deliver wine/beer! Given that you have pain and pay over inflated prices anyway I would def try it.

 

[qubitasaurus]

Yes of course, I blame the price of milk on the stores (looking at you Lincoln grocery!). I was responding to Dancing Fire's fears about the cost of milk, not blaming the feds or any government agency.

I thought the dollar was no longer backed by gold for quite a few years now.

Yes of course, I definitely don't want the USA to be like Venezuela, I mean, it's a dictatorship! I have spent some years in the khmer rouge work camp and have also served time in the US Army. I definitely support democracy. Anyway, the falling dollar value seems to be related to the uncertainty of the stock market and the pandemic and not the stimulus packages.

The 26 trillion is not all from the stimulus package. We can roll back the recent tax cuts...

Trump is printing cash at a somewhat staggering rate. I was told 7 trillion was printed so far this year. The gold is high, the bitcoins are high (although this is partially due to bitcoin halving having just hit) and the stocks are mostly sky high -- people are trying to get their money out of cash. There does indeed seem to be some level of fear that the cash is devaluing. You wont neccessarily see a drop in exchange rates, as in economic uncertainty people buy USD. But you may still see prices for everyday items go up.

Caveat emptor I am not an economist -- I dont know whether the alternatives were worse.

 

[OboeGal]

If we were to roll back the cuts, you realize it would affect those that need to keep the money in their pockets more right?

Most of the money comes from the middle class. And, you have the upper middle class who choose to move to places where their money goes further. (I'm not going to lie, its what I did!)

To raise taxes in the right now will be death to the party that does it. Unemployment numbers have to start going well into the opposite direction before any politician should discuss raising taxes.

US Politics at current is like a teeter totter. Over the years (decades) those of us who have been around long enough have seen the extremes left and right leanings.

And frankly the biggest misfortune of that is, when you remove those in the middle, and remove their voice, nothing gets done except lots of bickering on the far left and far right.

Trump was the president we deserved. I have always said this because we as a country, stopped listening to those who were willing to work across party lines, and went into the extreme.

I honestly hope that we as a country learn from this (not betting on it, but I do remain hopeful)

I agree with most of what you've said here, with one exception: there's absolutely no reason we can't raise taxes on the wealthy right now. They have been making money hand over fist in the bizarro stock market and with bailouts while the poor and middle class have been suffering. Trickle-down economics didn't work; we've given it well over 30 years and all we've gotten is a hollowed-out middle class and runaway economic inequality.

 

[Arcadian]

I agree with most of what you've said here, with one exception: there's absolutely no reason we can't raise taxes on the wealthy right now. They have been making money hand over fist in the bizarro stock market and with bailouts while the poor and middle class have been suffering. Trickle-down economics didn't work; we've given it well over 30 years and all we've gotten is a hollowed-out middle class and runaway economic inequality.

Lets not forget the middle class has also (if they have 401K and other investments) have been making that money too.

Trickle down economics has always been a fallacy created by the rich. It relied on the rich to have a decent enough moral core to help those underneath them and not just keep the money. This is something we can agree on.

What is known to be true is this; A country in recession will rebel if you start to tax the people. If you were to announce an additional 20-37% tax on the rich (and I mean those that make over 500K in yearly income) today, you would also see a lot of businesses closing their doors and laying people off. Why? Because the rich like staying rich, they will do what it takes to stay that way up to and including reducing money outflow in terms of the people they hire.

People's definition of "rich" isn't the same. Remember those who are rich on paper may not be so in physical money. My investments are not at "rich" level while they're decent enough that I can hopefully retire on. While I'm still working, I also know I had better continue to be on my grind because my yearly income is not "rich" level.

To get the rich to pay their "fair share" we would have to simplify the tax codes and close certain types of loopholes.

The market, is not on the pulse of how the country is doing, and in fact, is a paper monster right now. Certain moves will put the markets in recession and those of us who put money in for retirements would see those numbers dwindle once again.

What I would like to see DC do is to reduce the amount of handouts to corps. While its not a tax on the rich, that is a huge bleed of federal funds.

I would love to see the Fed (and its both sides y'all) to stop using the money we pay into SSI as their personal piggy bank. I fully don't even expect to see that money sadly, which is why I heavily invested over the years.

Remove all tax except statuses from churches and charities.

We also SHOULD restrict use of the H1-B visa program to its intended use (especially now!) Does that make me sound like a nationalist? Maybe, but I'll wear that hat because its been proven pretty heavily that corporations use the loopholes in the program to hire large amounts of cheap labor, bypassing the talent on its own shores.

Enforce corporate farm cleanups Lots of waste and environmental abuse on corporate farms.

Freeze student loans. I know some don't agree or feel that the President went far enough. He did exactly what was in his power to do on that matter, and cannot overstep on loans in the private sector.

 

[Karl_K]

another round of stimulas payments should have been done yesterday.
There are a lot of people that need it to stay afloat.
We spent trillions bailing out the bastard bankers who trashed the economy yet we cant help the people?
That's BS.
There are going to be a huge surge in homeless when the eviction holds come off and the courts open.

 

[Dancing Fire]

another round of stimulas payments should have been done yesterday.

The Dems were too busy fighting for the USPS.

 

[Karl_K]

The Dems were too busy fighting for the USPS.

House dems refuse to pass a clean bill without addons because they dont care about the people.
senate will pass it and Trump will sign a clean bill but house dems dont care enough to pass a clean bill.