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IRS Stimulus: Here’s What You Can Do While Waiting on Your Check

For those out there who are expecting another stimulus check, you may have to be patient. But in the meantime, there are a few things you can do while you wait.

The first bunch of the $1,400 stimulus checks are in the process of being sent out this weekend. Some of you reading this may have already gotten yours. However, some Americans may not see their stimulus money until next week. If that’s you, keep reading.

The latest stimulus payments come after President Joe Biden put the final stamp of approval on the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package on Thursday. While individuals are set to receive $1,400, married couples can expect to receive $2,800 plus an additional $1,400 per dependent. For example, a family of four would be getting $5,600.

The goal of the payments, of course, aims to help combat the economic impacts due to the COVID-19 pandemic. And while the first round of payments is already being sent out, it’s still unclear just how many Americans will be receiving them.

A large majority of the stimulus checks will be sent via direct deposit, so be sure to be checking your bank account often. The rest of the payments will be sent through the mail as a check or a prepaid debit card, according to the IRS.

Meanwhile, for those who are still waiting to get their money, it is possible to track your stimulus payment online. The IRS will be launching a new “Get My Payment” website on Monday, March 15.

The IRS is asking people to use the website to see the status of their stimulus checks. That will be more helpful than calling them directly.

Haven’t Got Your Stimulus? Don’t Forget to File Your Taxes

In addition to tracking your payment through the new IRS website, it’s also important to remember to file your taxes. The stimulus checks are calculated based on your 2019 or 2020 tax return, according to the IRS.

“This includes anyone who successfully registered online at IRS.gov using the agency’s Non-Filers tool last year, or alternatively, submitted a special simplified tax return to the IRS,” the IRS said in a statement. “If the IRS has received and processed a taxpayer’s 2020 return, the agency will instead make the calculation based on that return.”

However, perhaps the most important tip for those who are still waiting is to simply be patient. It’s hard to really imagine the scale of the process that is distributing millions of checks across the nation. So naturally, it could take a little time.