What is the Economic Impact Payment/Stimulus Check? ......................

Released by UF/IFAS …

By Meg McAlpine

The U.S. government presented a bill to send Americans stimulus payments to provide relief for economic hardships caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Stimulus checks are intended to stimulate the economy by providing consumers with some spending money. These one-time stimulus payments are part of a $2 trillion 2020 coronavirus relief package intended to help you pay your expenses and spur the flagging economy.

Senior citizens, Social Security and Social Security Disability Insurance recipients, railroad retirees and other beneficiaries who typically are not required to file tax returns will not need to file one to receive a payment. Income tax filers who filed for 2018 or 2019 will also receive a payment.

The amount you’ll receive will depend on your total income in 2019 or 2018. If you qualify, you’ll receive one payment. The full amount is $1,200 for individuals, $2,400 married filing jointly, plus a possible additional $500 per qualifying child. To qualify for full payment, you must meet one of the following criteria:

Single US resident and have an adjusted gross income up to $112,500
File as the head of a household and earn under $146,500
Married file jointly under $150,000
File jointly without children and earn less than $198,000

Single filers with income exceeding $99,000, $136,500 for head of household filers and $198,000 for joint filers with no children are not eligible and will not receive payments.

Other individuals such as low-income (gross income that did not exceed $12,200 for individual and $24,400 for married couples for 2019) workers, and certain veterans and individuals with disabilities who aren’t required to file a tax return, are still eligible for the Economic Impact Payments. They can go the irs.gov website and click on Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info Here” application to provide simple information so they can get their payment. The website URL is: https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/non-filers-enter-payment-info-here

To apply for payment as a non-filer you will need to provide the following information:

Full name, current mailing address and an email address
Date of birth and valid Social Security number
Bank account number, type and routing number, if you have one
Identity Protection Personal Identification Number (IP PIN) you received from the IRS earlier this year, if you have one
Driver’s license or state-issued ID, if you have one
For each qualifying child: name, Social Security number or Adoption Taxpayer Identification Number and their relationship to you or your spouse

What to Expect when you apply as a non-filer

When clicking “Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info Here” will take you from the IRS site to Free File Fillable Forms, a certified IRS partner. This site is safe and secure.

Follow these steps in order to provide your information:

Create an account by providing your email address and phone number; and establishing a user ID and password.
You will be directed to a screen where you will input your filing status (Single or Married filing jointly) and personal information.
Note: Make sure you have a valid Social Security number for you (and your spouse if you were married at the end of 2019) unless you are filing “Married Filing Jointly” with a 2019 member of the military. Make sure you have a valid Social Security number or Adoption Taxpayer Identification Number for each dependent you want to claim for the Economic Impact Payment.
Check the “box” if someone can claim you as a dependent or your spouse as a dependent.
Complete your bank information (otherwise the IRS will send you a check).
You will be directed to another screen where you will enter personal information to verify yourself. Simply follow the instructions. You will need your driver’s license (or state-issued ID) information. If you don’t have one, leave it blank.
You will receive an e-mail from Customer Service at Free File Fillable Forms that either acknowledges you have successfully submitted your information, or that tells you there is a problem and how to correct it. Free File Fillable forms will use the information to automatically complete a Form 1040 and transmit it to the IRS to compute and send you a payment.