Stimulus Payments — What You Need to
Know
If you missed the Oct. 15 deadline for
filing an income tax return for a
economic stimulus payment, don't worry.
You can receive a payment in 2011 by
filing an income tax return when the
filing season opens in January. The IRS
will have more information shortly.
Also, if you filed a tax return for an
economic stimulus payment in 2010 and
have not yet received a payment, check
out
Where's My Stimulus Payment?
Find the Answer
Still looking for your rebate even
though you've already filed a tax
return? Or wonder why it's smaller than
you were expecting? You may find the
answer to your question in our:
Top five questions people are asking
Frequently asked questions about
eligibility, payment amounts, payment
delivery and more
If You've Already Filed a Tax Return
You may have already filed but still
have outstanding issues. Find out more
if you:
Haven’t gotten your economic stimulus
payment,
Received one for a different amount than
you were expecting,
Amended your tax return,
Changed your address, or
Are in the military, have a spouse or
children with ITINs instead of valid
SSNs and received a reduced or no
stimulus payment
If you still have questions, try:
Our online tool that tells you if your
payment has been scheduled for delivery
the upcoming week, Where's My Stimulus
Payment?
The Rebate Hotline at 1-866-234-2942
If You Didn't File for a Stimulus
Payment
If you didn't file for an economic
stimulus payment in 2010 because you
weren't sure you were eligible, you may
be able to file for a payment in 2011.
Find out more if you:
Receive Social Security retirement or
disability benefits
Receive Veterans Affairs pension,
disability or survivor's benefits
Receive Tier 1 Railroad Retirement
benefits
Are a low-wage worker
Get Basic Information
If you're not sure what the payment is
all about, read the basic information.
Find Out if You're Eligible
You are eligible if:
You or your family has at least $3,000
in qualifying income from, or in
combination with, Social Security
benefits, Veterans Affairs benefits,
Railroad Retirement benefits and earned
income. Supplemental Security Income
(SSI) does not count as qualifying
income for the stimulus payment.
You and any family members listed on
your tax return have valid Social
Security numbers.
You are not a dependent or eligible to
be a dependent on someone else’s federal
tax return. (The same must be true of
any family members claimed on your
return.)
Calculate How Much You May Get
Eligible individuals — between $300 and
$600
Joint filers — between $600 and $1,200
With eligible children — an additional
$300 for each qualifying child
The actual amount depends on the
information on your tax return. To find
out how much you might be eligible for,
use the economic stimulus calculator.
Find Out When You'll Get Your Payment
Whether you've already filed, have yet
to file or filed for an extension, find
out when you can expect to receive your
stimulus payment.
Claim Your Payment
Complete a federal tax return this year,
even if you don’t normally do so. For
instructions, a sample Form 1040A and a
blank Form 1040A, see our 8-page
informational package. Or use the longer
Form 1040 and its instructions.
Then
File electronically. For free free tax
preparation software and electronic
filing for people submitting a return
solely to receive their stimulus
payment, use Free File: Economic
Stimulus Payment.
Or
Mail a paper tax return to the IRS based
on where you live.
Choose Direct Deposit or Paper Check
You can get your payment electronically
as a direct deposit into your checking
or savings account by filling in lines
44 b, c and d on Form 1040A or lines 74
b, c and d on Form 1040. Or you can get
a paper check by leaving those lines
blank.
Get Free Help at Taxpayer Assistance
Centers
IRS employees will help prepare Form
1040A returns for low-income workers,
retirees, disabled veterans and others.
For a list of centers in your state and
their hours of operation, Contact My
Local Office .
Information For Businesses
Information on the business provisions
of the economic stimulus payment.
For More Information
Check out our:
news releases, audio files, fact sheets
and legal guidance
Flyers, public service announcements and
other marketing products for IRS's
partners and others
Avoid Rebate Scams
Identity thieves are using the stimulus
payment as bait in their scams. Details
can be found in news release IR-2010-11,
IRS Warns of New E-Mail and Telephone
Scams Using the IRS Name; Advance
Payment Scams Starting.
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