IRS Newswire
March 30, 2020

Issue Number:    IR-2020-61
WASHINGTON – The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service today announced that distribution of economic impact payments will begin in the next three weeks and will be distributed automatically, with no action required for most people. However, some seniors and others who typically do not file returns will need to submit a simple tax return to receive the stimulus payment.

Who is eligible for the economic impact payment?
Tax filers with adjusted gross income up to $75,000 for individuals and up to $150,000 for married couples filing joint returns will receive the full payment. For filers with income above those amounts, the payment amount is reduced by $5 for each $100 above the $75,000/$150,000 thresholds. Single filers with income exceeding $99,000 and $198,000 for joint filers with no children are not eligible.
Eligible taxpayers who filed tax returns for either 2019 or 2018 will automatically receive an economic impact payment of up to $1,200 for individuals or $2,400 for married couples. Parents also receive $500 for each qualifying child.

How will the IRS know where to send my payment?
The vast majority of people do not need to take any action. The IRS will calculate and automatically send the economic impact payment to those eligible.
For people who have already filed their 2019 tax returns, the IRS will use this information to calculate the payment amount. For those who have not yet filed their return for 2019, the IRS will use information from their 2018 tax filing to calculate the payment. The economic impact payment will be deposited directly into the same banking account reflected on the return filed.

The IRS does not have my direct deposit information. What can I do?
In the coming weeks, Treasury plans to develop a web-based portal for individuals to provide their banking information to the IRS online, so that individuals can receive payments immediately as opposed to checks in the mail.

I am not typically required to file a tax return. Can I still receive my payment?
Yes. People who typically do not file a tax return will need to file a simple tax return to receive an economic impact payment. Low-income taxpayers, senior citizens, Social Security recipients, some veterans and individuals with disabilities who are otherwise not required to file a tax return will not owe tax.

How can I file the tax return needed to receive my economic impact payment?
IRS.gov/coronavirus will soon provide information instructing people in these groups on how to file a 2019 tax return with simple, but necessary, information including their filing status, number of dependents and direct deposit bank account information.

I have not filed my tax return for 2018 or 2019. Can I still receive an economic impact payment?
Yes. The IRS urges anyone with a tax filing obligation who has not yet filed a tax return for 2018 or 2019 to file as soon as they can to receive an economic impact payment. Taxpayers should include direct deposit banking information on the return.

I need to file a tax return. How long are the economic impact payments available?
For those concerned about visiting a tax professional or local community organization in person to get help with a tax return, these economic impact payments will be available throughout the rest of 2020.
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Where can I get more information?
The IRS will post all key information on IRS.gov/coronavirus as soon as it becomes available.
The IRS has a reduced staff in many of its offices but remains committed to helping eligible individuals receive their payments expeditiously. Check for updated information on IRS.gov/coronavirus rather than calling IRS assistors who are helping process 2019 returns.

On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed into law the CARES Act, which provided additional assistance for small business owners and non-profits, including the opportunity to get up to a $10,000 Advance on an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL). This Advance may be available even if your EIDL application was declined or is still pending, and will be forgiven.
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If you wish to apply for the Advance on your EIDL, please visit www.SBA.gov/Disaster as soon as possible to fill out a new, streamlined application. In order to qualify for the Advance, you need to submit this new application even if you previously submitted an EIDL application. Applying for the Advance will not impact the status or slow your existing application.

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1. Be alert for phone scams. 
   The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury Department, or any other government agency will not contact you by phone to collect information for stimulus payment processing. Period.
2. Be alert for phishing scams. 
   Government agencies will not email or text you to collect information for stimulus payment processing. Watch for suspicious emails or texts with links or attachments requesting information for processing stimulus deposits or checks. If you receive one, do not click the link or open the attachment. It’s a scam. Delete it.
3. Be alert for state-related scams.
   State agencies will also not call, email or text you to collect information or a fee to process a stimulus payment. To date, no state has introduced their own version of a stimulus payment.

As of now, we are only aware of one communication a taxpayer will receive from the IRS. No later than 15 days after distributing a stimulus payment, the IRS is required to mail a notice to the taxpayer indicating the payment amount, whether the payment was mailed or deposited, and a phone number to call if the taxpayer did not receive the payment. 

Victims or targets of stimulus payment scams should report it immediately to the Federal Trade Commission, www.ftc.gov/complaint.

We will provide more information about the IRS’s plans to process stimulus payments as it becomes available. 

​COVID-19 - Tax Return Filing & Payment Relief
 
Does the deadline postponement apply to return filing and payments?
Yes. Both the filing and payment deadlines have been automatically postponed from April 15, 2020 to July 15, 2020 for individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, or any type of unincorporated business entity. Interest and penalties will begin to accrue after July 15.
Do taxpayers need to file any additional forms to qualify for relief?
No, taxpayers do not need to submit any additional forms; the new July 15, 2020 deadline applies to all taxpayers with a Federal income tax return or payment formerly due on April 15, 2020. Individual taxpayers, who need additional time to file beyond July 15, can request a filing extension until October 15 by filing Form 4868 before the July 15 due date. Corporate filers use Form 7004 to request additional time.
Has the filing deadline for all state returns been postponed to July 15?
State filing and payment deadlines vary by state. Check with each state to get an accurate due date for filing and payment or visit our State Response to Covid-19 page.
I have already filed returns with a scheduled payment date of April 15, 2020. Will this payment be automatically rescheduled for July 15, 2020?
No, the payment will not automatically reschedule. The payment will be made on the date selected unless the payment is rescheduled. Follow the instructions below to reschedule or cancel a payment.

• IRS Direct Pay – Use the confirmation number from scheduled payment to access the Look Up and Payment feature.
• EFTPS -  Access the EFTPS website, then click on Payments and login. Click on Cancel a Tax Payment from the left menu and follow the instructions. 
• Schedule Electronic Funds Withdrawal – Electronic withdrawal payments scheduled when tax returns are filed can be revoked by contacting the U.S. Treasury Financial Agent at 888-353-4537.
• Credit/Debit Cards – Cancel scheduled payments by contacting the card processor.

Are first quarter 2020 estimated tax payments still due on April 15, 2020?
No, the April 15 estimated tax payment due date is also postponed until July 15, 2020.
Have the second quarter 2020 estimated tax payments, due on June 15, 2020, also been postponed?
No, the postponement only applies to the April 15, 2020 payment. The June 15, 2020 estimated payment due date remains the same.
Does this relief provide more time to contribute money to an IRA, HSA, or Archer MSA for 2019? 

Yes. Contributions may be made for a particular year, at any time during the year or by the due date for filing a return for that year. Because the due date for filing Federal income tax returns has been postponed to July 15, the deadline for making contributions to IRA, HSA, or Archer MSA for 2019 is also extended to July 15, 2020. 
I have tried calling the IRS for help, but I have been unable to reach anyone by telephone. What should I do?
Limited live telephone customer service assistance is currently available due to precautions taken to protect IRS employees from the coronavirus. High demand has created very lengthy wait times. The IRS encourages people to use IRS.gov for information.
How can I keep up with the IRS response to the Coronavirus and COVID-19 legislation?
For the most up-to-date information, visit the IRS Coronavirus page https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus. As information is released regarding stimulus payments and legislation, it will be posted to this page. More FAQs can be found at https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/filing-and-payment-deadlines-questions-and-answers.

We have found some information regarding the Stimulus checks, Unemployment and the Coronavirus Bill.  It may be a long read but it gives a lot of useful information.


F.A.Q. on Stimulus Checks, Unemployment and the Coronavirus Bill
The Senate relief bill would send money to Americans and greatly expand unemployment coverage.
By Tara Siegel Bernard and Ron Lieber
·         March 26, 2020, 2:36 p.m. ET

The Senate unanimously passed a $2 trillion economic rescue plan on Wednesday that will offer assistance to tens of millions of American households affected by the coronavirus. Its components include stimulus payments to individuals, expanded unemployment coverage, student loan changes, different retirement account rules and more.

The House of Representatives was expected to quickly take up the bill and pass it, sending it to President Trump for his signature.

Here are the answers to common questions about what’s in the bill. We’ll update this article as we have more answers or if the plan changes as it moves through the legislative process.

*Stimulus Payments*

How large would the payments be?
Most adults would get $1,200, although some would get less. For every child age 16 or under, the payment would be an additional $500.   

How many payments would there be?
Just one. Future bills could order up additional payments, though.

How do I know if I will get the full amount?
It depends on your income. Single adults with Social Security numbers who have an adjusted gross income of $75,000 or less would get the full amount. Married couples with no children earning $150,000 or less would receive a total of $2,400. And someone filing as head of household will get the full payment if they earn $112,500 or less.
Above those income figures, the payment decreases until it stops altogether for single people earning $99,000 or married people earning $198,000.
In any given family and in most instances, everyone must have a valid Social Security number. There is an exception for members of the military.
You can find your adjusted gross income on line 8b of the 2019 1040 federal tax return.

What year’s income should I be looking at?
2019. If you haven’t prepared a tax return yet, you can use your 2018 return. If you haven’t filed that yet, you can use a 2019 Social Security statement showing your income.

What if my recent income made me ineligible, but I anticipate being eligible because of a loss of income in 2020? Do I get a payment?
The bill does not appear to help people in that circumstance, but there are many other provisions in the legislation. You may be able to file for unemployment or for one of the new loans for small business owners or sole proprietors.

Would I have to apply to receive a payment?
No. If the Internal Revenue Service already has your bank account information, it would transfer the money to you via direct deposit based on the recent income-tax figures it already has.

When would they arrive?
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that he expected most people to get their payments within three weeks.

If my payment doesn’t come soon, how can I be sure that it wasn’t misdirected?
According to the bill, you would get a paper notice in the mail no later than a few weeks after your payment has been disbursed. That notice would contain information about where the payment ended up and in what form it was made. If you couldn’t locate the payment at that point, it would be time to contact the I.R.S. using the information on the notice.

What if I haven’t filed tax returns recently, would that affect my ability to receive a payment?
It could. File a return immediately, at least for 2018, according to the I.R.S. website. “Those without 2018 tax filings on record could potentially affect mailings of stimulus checks,” the site says.
If you’re worried about money that you owe that you cannot pay, the I.R.S. recommends consulting a tax professional who can help you request an alternative payment plan or some other resolution.

Would most people who are receiving Social Security retirement and disability payments each month also get a stimulus payment?
Yes.

Would eligible unemployed people get these stimulus payments? Veterans?
Yes and yes.

If my income tax refunds are currently being garnished because of a student loan default, would this payment be garnished as well?
No.
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*Unemployment Benefits*

Who would be covered by the expanded program?
The new bill would wrap in far more workers than are usually eligible for unemployment benefits, including self-employed people and part-time workers. The bottom-line: Those who are unemployed, partially unemployed or who cannot work for a wide variety of coronavirus-related reasons would be more likely to receive benefits.

How much would I receive?
It depends on your state.
Benefits would be expanded in a bid to replace the average worker’s paycheck, explained Andrew Stettner, a senior fellow at the Century Foundation, a public policy research group. The average worker earns about $1,000 a week, and unemployment benefits often replace roughly 40 to 45 percent of that. The expansion would pay an extra amount to fill the gap.
Under the plan, eligible workers would get an extra $600 per week on top of their state benefit. But some states are more generous than others. According to the Century Foundation, the maximum weekly benefit in Alabama is $265, but it’s $450 in California and $681 in New Jersey.

So let’s say a worker was making $1,100 per week in New York; she’d be eligible for the maximum state unemployment benefit of $435 per week. Under the new program, she gets an additional $600 of federal pandemic unemployment compensation, for a total of $1,035, or nearly all of her original paycheck.