Recovery Rebate Checks

Recovery Rebate Checks

Direct Assistance to Individuals and Families

The CARES Act, signed into law on March 27, 2020, provides emergency financial relief to individuals and families. The distribution is expected to begin in mid-April, 2020.

Below is more information on the recovery rebate checks:

  • This is a one-time payment in the form of a tax rebate of $1,200 per individual and $500 per child for those with a valid Social Security Number.

  • There are no earned income or tax liability requirements to receive these rebate checks. You are eligible even if you did not file taxes last year or did not have any income last year.

  • 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 threshold. Single filers with income exceeding $99,000 and $198,000 for joint filers with no children are not eligible. This ensures those most in need receive financial relief.

  • This tax credit will not affect eligibility for means-tested benefits such as Medicaid or SNAP.

  • If you used direct deposit when filing your 2019 tax returns, the tax rebate will be deposited directly to that account.

  • Social Security recipients who are not typically required to file a tax return do not need to take any action and will receive their payment directly to their bank account.

  • If you did not file a 2019 Tax Return, you may file a SSA-1099 form with the IRS or file a 2019 Tax Return until July 15, 2020.

Be aware of potential scams related to coronavirus relief checks. The IRS will not be making calls asking you to verify your personal information. Scammers may:

  • Emphasize the words “Stimulus Check” or “Stimulus Payment.” Those are incorrect. The official term is Economic Impact Payment.

  • Ask you to sign over your economic impact payment check to them.

  • Ask by phone, email, text, or social media for verification of personal and/or banking information, saying that the information is needed to receive or speed up their economic impact payment.

  • Suggest that they can get a tax refund or economic impact payment faster by working on your behalf. This scam could be conducted by social media or even in person.

  • Mail you a bogus check, perhaps in an odd amount, then tell you to call a number or verify information online in order to cash it.


Other Tax Information

The traditional tax date of April 15 has been extended to July 15, 2020.

For further information, please visit the IRS webpage on COVID-19 at https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus.

Source: https://republicans-waysandmeansforms.house.gov/uploadedfiles/rebates_for_individuals.pdf