WASHINGTON — People waiting to get their second coronavirus pandemic stimulus check should go online to find out the status of their payment, the Internal Revenue Service said Monday. But they should not call the IRS directly nor should they contact their bank or tax software providers to find out where the money is.
The first payments -- $600 for most individual Americans -- started going out last week. Some appeared in bank accounts over the weekend via direct deposit. For some, those funds were accessible as of Monday. Others will receive their payments in the form of a check or debit card in the mail in the coming weeks.
Given the economic struggles many Americans are facing, a sense of urgency may prompt them to start calling agencies directly to find out where their money is or if they need to do something to get it faster.
"The IRS emphasizes that there is no action required by eligible individuals to receive this second payment," the agency said in a statement. "The payments are automatic, and people should not contact their financial institutions or the IRS with payment timing questions."
To track the status of the payments, the IRS re-launched the Get My Payment tool Monday. But there may be some delays initially due to high demand. The program was taken offline for several days before it could offer information about the second coronavirus stimulus check.
Eligible Americans will automatically receive an economic impact payment of up to $600 for individuals or $1,200 for married couples, and up to $600 for each qualifying child. Most people who have an adjusted gross income for 2019 of up to $75,000 for individuals and up to $150,000 for married couples filing joint returns and surviving spouses, will receive the full amount of the second payment.
For filers with income above those amounts, the payment amount is reduced.
Here is a tool from Omni Calculator that may help you determine how much you might receive: