BOSTON — Wednesday marks one week since stimulus payments were direct deposited into millions of bank accounts, but not everyone who was supposed to receive money – has.
“I got two kids, six and a 13-year-old, half of that went to food and car payments,” said Stoughton resident Keith Puliti.
While many people like Puliti have already begun spending their $1,400 check, many others are still waiting.
“I had one client that had a child in 2019 and then but they filed with the child in 2019, but they didn’t file in 2018 because the child was not born yet,” said Affordable Multi Services of Norwood owner Rutherford Saint-Cyr. “So IRS used 2018 and they did not receive a stimulus for the child.”
If you’re still waiting, you can go to IRS.gov and click get my payment.
You’ll need to enter your full Social Security number or tax ID number, date of birth, street address, and zip code. If it doesn’t tell you the exact date of payment, either you are not eligible for a payment or the IRS has not processed your payment. The site is updated daily.
Tax preparers say you can also check with your bank, your software provider, or a tax professional if applicable. They can help you file a tax return and then claim a recovery rebate.
Saint-Cyr says if you only received a partial check or didn’t receive any money there may be a good reason.
“Some folks that probably were married and then now and they separated or they got divorced and their spouse ended up filing for the kids,” he said. “Some folks too, they never filed tax before and then and they think that okay, they will still get the money, but IRS is asking even though you don’t have like a tax responsibility, you still have to file a tax return.”
“Rescue payments have already started hitting accounts and 78% of all adults in Massachusetts can expect to see them,” said Massachusetts Congressman Jim McGovern, who is the chair of the House Rules Committee.
McGovern brought the American Rescue Plan to the House Floor for a vote just before President Biden signed it into law.
“This month has been one of great progress and hope for all Americans as Democrats delivered on President Biden’s promise that Help Is On The Way,” said McGovern. “For a year, the pandemic and economic crisis have devastated Massachusetts, but with the American Rescue Plan, real, meaningful, and targeted help is on the way to families, small businesses, and communities across the commonwealth.”
McGovern pointed to the below stats to show how the COVID-19 Pandemic devastated our economy:
• Since the pandemic began, more than 568,000 Massachusetts residents have been infected with COVID-19 and more than 16,293 have died;
• The unemployment rate is 8.4%, up from 2.8% before the pandemic.
• Since February 2020, more than 204,000 fewer Massachusetts residents are employed.
• 337,000 adults – 7% of all adults in the state – report not having enough food to eat. This includes 185,000 adults living with children, or 12% of all Massachusetts adults living with children, who report that the children in their household do not have enough to eat.
• An estimated 284,000 Massachusetts renters, or 17%, are not caught up on rent.
• An estimated 1,406,000 adults, or 28%, report having difficulty covering normal household expenses.
McGovern says there is no excuse for the stimulus delays.
“We are pushing the IRS, they need to do better,” McGovern said. “We don’t want to delay and many of us have sent a letter to the administration saying if the IRS needs more funds to make some temporary hires we will then come towards them and let’s do it, but we need to get the relief out to people and they help the people now.”
More stimulus checks are on the way. For those who still haven’t received them, the IRS says you may get them this week, as early as Wednesday, with many coming as paper checks or prepaid debit cards.
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