MILLIONS of Americans are set to receive their second round of stimulus checks from the government.
However, some people have reported issues when checking the ‘Get My Payment’ portal.
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What does ‘payment status not available’ mean?
According to the IRS, those who provided deposit information and filed their 2019 tax returns should receive the $600 payments in their accounts starting from December 29.
And those who successfully registered for the first stimulus check should get the automatic payment.
However, some users have been hit with ‘payment status not available’ when using the Get My Payment portal on IRS.gov.
The message reads: “We are unable to provide the status of your payment right now because we don’t have enough information yet (we’re working on this), or you’re not eligible for a payment.”
The site’s FAQ page is not clear whether this status is temporary or whether it means you cannot claim a second check.
Yet, those who are eligible but have not received a second payment may be able to claim it when they file their taxes for 2020.
The second stimulus check is simply an advanced payment of a tax credit.
How to claim the payment as a tax rebate?
Unclaimed stimulus funds are referred to as Recovery Rebate Credit on Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR.
Taxpayers and married couples filing jointly can claim the Recovery Rebate Credit if they did not receive the full amount during their first payment.
What happens if I changed my bank account?
For people who changed bank accounts between the first and second payments, the IRS says it’s only using data already in its systems.
Payment information cannot be changed so people who have changed accounts will have to claim the cash as a Recovery Rebate Credit on their next returns.
If you have changed your address, enter your new details when you next file.
The IRS also has forms for address changes. Click here for more info.
For any other issues the IRS is currently working to update its guidance. Click here to read more.
