Some people who get federal benefits, such as Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and veterans benefits, still haven’t received their stimulus payments from the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief plan.
The IRS has not yet announced a date, but it did update some guidance on how payments may be delivered.
The agency said it is working directly with other federal agencies to get updated 2021 information on people who receive federal benefits “to ensure that as many people as possible are sent fast, automatic payments.”
Social Security Administration Commissioner Andrew Saul said that the agency sent its files to the IRS on Thursday.
The statement came in response to a letter sent earlier this week to the IRS and Social Security by legislators, including Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr, D-9th Dist., who expressed concern that some beneficiaries were still waiting for their payments.
“We were alarmed to learn recently that most Social Security, SSI, RRB (Railroad Retirement Benefits), and VA beneficiaries who are not required to file a tax return have not yet received their payments and that the IRS is unable to provide an expected timeline for these payments,” the letter said.
If you did not file a tax return and you receive Social Security, SSI, Railroad Retirement Benefits or VA benefits, and you currently get your payments on a Direct Express card, then your third stimulus payment will be deposited on that same card, the IRS said in updated guidance on its website.
“The bank information shown in Get My Payment will be a number associated with your Direct Express card and may be a number you don’t recognize,” it said.
For people who don’t have direct deposit information on file with the IRS, “the IRS will use federal records of recent payments to or from the government, where available, to make the payment as a direct deposit. This helps to expedite payment delivery,” it said.
If you don’t receive a direct deposit, you may receive the payment by paper check or prepaid debit card.
The debit card will come in a white envelope displaying the seal of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the IRS said. The card has the Visa name on the front and the issuing bank, MetaBank, N.A. on the back.
Paper checks come in a white envelope from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. For those taxpayers who received their tax refund by mail, this paper check will look similar but will be labeled as an “Economic Impact Payment” in the memo field, the IRS said.
You can check the Get My Payment tool to see if your payment has been scheduled.
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Karin Price Mueller may be reached at KPriceMueller@NJAdvanceMedia.com.
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