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Where, oh where is my tax-rebate check?

Posted Jun 02 2008, 04:34 PM by Karen Datko
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We're in the same boat as "PT" at Prime Time Money. Our tax-rebate check has yet to arrive.

Just like PT, we thought our rebate would be direct-deposited into our checking account on May 9, based on our Social Security number and the IRS payment schedule. So, like PT, we dug a little deeper to find out where it could be.

Since the date we expected the check has already passed, we tried the handy "Where's My Stimulus Payment" tool and got this response: "We are sorry. Specific information about your Stimulus Payment is not available." It also said this: "Specific information about your Stimulus Payment will not be available until about one week before your payment is scheduled to be sent." So we know it's not going to arrive in our account this week.

What's going on?

PT notes that the IRS site says the payment schedule applies only if the IRS processed your tax return before April 15. Also, the schedule seems to apply only if you're getting a refund. (We owed Uncle Sam, and so did PT.) The IRS says: "If you are not expecting a regular tax refund, your stimulus payment generally should arrive a minimum of six weeks after you file."

The IRS also provides yet another reason to explain why the check's not in the mail (snail or otherwise). The IRS site says: "A small percentage of tax returns will require additional time to process and to compute a stimulus payment amount. For these returns, stimulus payments may not be issued in accordance with the schedule above, even if the tax return was processed by April 15."

We asked one other question, and so did PT: Are we getting direct deposit or is the check coming via U.S. mail? The IRS says that if you used direct debit to pay what you owed, but didn't also provide direct-deposit information with your tax return, your economic-stimulus payment will come through the mail. Yikes. It looks like we're not getting our check until late June.

Think there may be another reason why you haven't received a payment? Read Heather Johnson's post at Tax Daddy for other possible explanations.

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Comments

 

Another reason is that if you used a software program like Turbotax and had the electronic filing fees deducted from your return, you will get a check and not direct deposit. I, too, expected my refund by May 9th. After some digging I found that information on the IRS website. They sure didn't bother to tell anyone about that little fact.

Richard (Posted 06.02.08 6:41 PM)

Thanks for sharing my article, Donna.  Hope you get your check sooner, rather than later.  :)

PT (Posted 06.02.08 7:50 PM)

Another reason is the IRS may have lost your return.  My wife and I filed our joint return in March,  and the IRS cashed our payment check very promptly.   When the date passed that we should have received our stimulus check I kept getting the same "no specific" information message from the web site.    A call to the IRS and about 20 minutes on hold gave the answer that yes they had record of our payment,  but no record of a return.  The IRS advised to send another copy of the return.   I did that last week (Certified w/ return reciept)  The IRS got my return on Friday,  today (Monday) the www.irs.gov says our stimulus check will be mailed June 13th... we'll see.

Gruene TX (Posted 06.02.08 7:56 PM)

thank you guys for checking this out, myself and 8 more have asked the same question since my social ends with a 5. Where oh where is my stimulus check.

Jean (Posted 06.02.08 8:31 PM)

If you owe any monet at all (student loans....) your rebate is reduced by that amount. If you owe more than the rebate, you don't get a thing..

Lee (Posted 06.02.08 8:32 PM)

such BS by the IRS anyways

bob (Posted 06.02.08 8:56 PM)

I like you all have no received my payment.  I was scheduled for May the 9th to find out that because we filed with Turbotax that we will get a check in the mail.  Wednesday May 28th my check was mailed and as of today June 2nd still no check.  I'm getting very frustrated.  My goodness why has the "refund" become so hard to get.

JEM (Posted 06.02.08 9:18 PM)

And gosh everyone, your stimulus check is only worth about 2 tanks of gas!  And it will be counted against earned income next year!

c (Posted 06.02.08 11:38 PM)

No it won't be counted against earned income next year. You won't have to claim it as income at all. This point was covered at the beginning, but I'm certain you won't believe me. Just want to point out your error, so that maybe other people won't get too freaked-out!

Laura Polk Flint (Posted 06.03.08 1:33 AM)

Wow Laura, I don't think there was a nicer way to say that unless of course you called him an idiot or something of the like.

JF (Posted 06.03.08 2:24 AM)

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