Get your stimulus tax rebate faster: The IRS tells how

Want to get your tax rebate faster? File your taxes early and electronically, and arrange for direct deposit.

The IRS drove home that message today when it announced its schedule for delivering economic stimulus rebates. Folks whose federal tax forms are processed by the IRS by the April 15 deadline and who arrange for direct deposit can expect their rebates to be sent to their bank accounts no later than May 16. You're more likely to have your taxes processed by April 15 if you file electronically.

The IRS will deliver stimulus payments based on the last two digits of filers' Social-Security numbers; the lower those digits, the earlier the payment. If a couple is filing jointly, the first Social Security number on the tax return is the one that counts in determining the payment schedule.

For folks whose returns are processed by April 15 and arrange for direct deposit:
Those whose last two Social-Security number digits are between 00 and 20 are expected to get the first payments, by May 2.
Those with last digits between 21 and 75 should get their payments by May 9.
Those with last digits between 76 and 99 should get theirs by May 16.

In contrast, the IRS says it will begin to send out paper checks on May 16, even for early filers. The agency says it expects to send out the last checks to on-time filers by July 11. You may have to wait a few days extra for the checks to reach your mailbox.

If there's a problem with processing your return, your payment--whether by direct deposit or paper check--could be delayed beyond those target dates. And anyone filing for an extension will have to wait for their rebate for at least two weeks after they get their refund.

IRS spokesman Eric Smith notes that by filing electronically, you can expect your rebate from two weeks to two months sooner than if you filed by mail. Even if you owe the government, you can file now and arrange for payment on April 15; that way, even with no refund, you'll get your rebate faster.

"If you've never tried electronic filing, this is the year to do it," Smith told us. "If you're getting a refund, you'll get it sooner. If you're getting a rebate, you'll really get it sooner."

While you're waiting for the rebate, try the IRS's new economic stimulus payment calculator to determine how large a rebate you'll get. To do a proper estimate, you'll need to have filled out your 2007 Form 1040, 1040A or 1040EZ.

Comments

[Kail Bland]

H&R Block is gonna have some mad people. Just spoke with Them. Spokesperson said June 6TH will be the earliest for People that used the Card to get Their Check from the IRS. They use a #RD Party Bank & that's why.

[Debbie]

My rebate was supposed to be direct deposited today and nothing at all came. My refund was direct deposited. I tried the Where's my Rebate and it said it didn't know and i tried the 800# and got same thing. Anyone else having problems? I used Turbo Tax online, e-filed, and got direct deposit.

[Tracy]

Just to let everyone know, I talked with the irs yesterday about my rebate...they told me that mine will be mailed out (paper check) on May 9th...so folks...they aren't starting the mailings on the 16th like they said!

[jaime]

I filed through h&r block and haven't sent in the paperwork that needs to be signed to be completed (they haven't mailed it to me yet) .. Does that mean that i wont be getting my stimulus? I got my refund.

[Tobie Stanger (Consumer Reports)]

Kandi,

You didn't have an RAL, but you did have another type of bank product that involved a third-party bank. So the IRS will be mailing you your rebate check.

[Tobie Stanger (Consumer Reports)]

Kail,

To be fair to the tax-prep companies--and to the IRS--Congress enacted the stimulus-payment legislation early this year and gave the IRS very little time to figure out a payment schedule and other issues prior to the close of the tax season. The IRS was waiting for direction from Congress, and the tax-prep companies were waiting for direction from the IRS. With more time, the tax-prep companies and the IRS might have been able to work out a better arrangement.

[Tobie Stanger (Consumer Reports)]

Debbie,

Did you have your tax-prep fees and/or electronic filing fees deducted from your refund? If so, you utilized a third-party bank in the process. That would make you ineligible to recieve your rebate via direct deposit.

[Tobie Stanger (Consumer Reports)]

Jaime,

I don't know what paperwork you mean, but if you got your refund and are eligible for the rebate, you should get it. (But you might want to fill out that paperwork, just to be sure!)

FYI: Here's a URL describing who is eligible for a stimulus payment:

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=179211,00.html

[kellie]

My husband and I e-filed and direct deposited with our tax preparer as always. But several weeks after we filed taxes, we switched banks, thus closing out our old checking accounts that we e-filed with...We still technically filed elctronically. What will happen to our check?? And will we recieve it sooner then paper filers since we did e-file???? I just hope we don't get lost in limbo due to the direct deposit account being closed!

[brian b]

How long will it take after the send date to get my check in the mail?
Doe anyone know how long it takes to get it in the mail? If someone could answer I'd greatly appreciate it.
Thanks
Brian Bishop

[Bianca]

My last 2 digits are 09 and I know I qualify for one and I didn't receive my rebate as of yet. I filed single head of household with 3 kids and would be direct deposit. Why? Did anybody not receive theirs by May 2 or today?

[Tobie Stanger (Consumer Reports)]

Kellie,

As you suggest, your rebate will come as a check. The IRS will not be able to direct-deposit it, and will then issue a check. It's possible your check may come a little earlier because you e-filed, though the fact that your bank account was closed and the IRS has to send it a different way may delay the check.

One way or another, you will get it, probably before July 11.

[Tobie Stanger (Consumer Reports)]

To Sara M and Bianca:

Sara: H&R Block tells me that folks who requested direct deposit but did not use a refund anticipation loan (RAL) or other temporary, third-party bank product will recieve their rebates direct-deposit. Keep in mind that even subtracting your electronic filing fees from your refund would put you in the "third=party bank" category.

Bianca, Could it be that you used an RAL or other bank product, as mentioned in the paragraph above? If so, your rebate would be mailed as a check. The IRS also says that there may be delays in some rebates if the tax return generates questions. Try the IRS's new interactive feature, Where's My Stimulus Payment?" on the IRS Web site: http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=181665,00.html

[jay]

Just wanted to clarify the whole rebate/emerald situation. The automated line states if u recieved your refund in less than 5 days of filing by (RAL) then you will recieve your rebate by check, but it says nothing about (RAC). I also confirmed with the IRS, and they said the rebates will be deposited on the Emerald Card, as long as the card is still active.

[John Scott]

I work at an IRS call site. Here's what I know for sure:

Tax returns have to be processed by April 15th in order for the rebate to be paid according to the schedule. This means that e-filed returns would have had to be transmitted at least a couple of weeks before the deadline and at least a month before if the return was mailed.

Some rebate payments are delivered earlier than the schedule since the tax returns were processed by a different computer system. This is why the first direct deposits were made on April 28.

If you received a refund anticipation loan or check, or opted to have the preparer's fee deducted from your refund, you will be mailed a check instead. A large percentage of the calls we received Friday dealt with folks who had the fee deducted. They expected to have the rebate directly deposited that day but did not realize that a check would be mailed instead. Unfortunately, the IRS web site doesn't really address the situation.

If you had your refund credited to a product like the Emerald Card, your stimulus payment will go there also--unless, of course, your refund went to the preparer's bank first as as described above.

If you elected to have your refund deposited in multiple accounts, you will receive the rebate by mail.

If you closed your account since receiving your refund, any direct deposit will be rejected by the bank. This will cause a check to be mailed to the address on your tax return. This usually occurs shortly after the IRS receives notification of the rejection.

Checks will normally arrive a few days after the mailing date.

[Angie]

I am having the same problem. When I call or go online to see the staus of my rebate, it keeps telling me that it cannot help me. All I want to know is where it is. I got one of those H&R Block Emerald cards and the money is not on there either.

[jeanette]

EMERGENCY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ok hr block said my rebate would go onto my emerald card no later than the second its not there i was counting on that money to give me and my children a home now im living with my mommy. when and how will i recieve my rebate. social ends in 16............

[dawn]

I read every source of info about the question regarding the emerald card. From what I can tell The IRS says 'to receive the payment directly in your account you must have filled out line 74 a and d on your 1040.' That is your direct deposit info. I looked on mine and all the info shows it to be a checking deposit, even though mine was also an RAL on the emerald card. So I believe the info is there, they don't know the difference between emerald and checking.

[Teresa]

I filed and had my refund direct deposited and my last two digits are 13, I still haven't received the rebate and as others the online Where's my rebate at the IRS website says it can't tell me anything. How do I find out. I did receive the notice from them in reference to receiving the rebate?

[Tobie Stanger (Consumer Reports)]

If you used a refund anticipation loan (RAL), subtracted your tax-prep and/or filing fees from your refund, or used some other process that involves a third=party bank, your rebate will be mailed.

[Darrell Smith]

My wife and I had to pay a small amount this year for 2007 taxes therefore no refund. We used TaxCut software to do our taxes and paid our taxes owed using our checking account with the funds being withdrawn online. bescause for this will we have to wait on a paper check or will we recieve direct deposit. IRS website does not really help explain this. Thank you for any help you can provide!

[Tobie Stanger (Consumer Reports)]

You should probably expect the rebate to be mailed.

[Vicki]

Hi,
I just looked on my taxes, and there are two routing and checking numbers for the emerald card. The first one is for IRS to deposit and the second was for the bank to deposit. They are both different. Why 2 for the same card? But the one for IRS is there for them to deposit if we could not get the loan, or was that for the bank to get paid back? I would think that's how it would work either way. If the IRS has the tax information, they would have both numbers, I would think so. Just hope it comes soon.

[Michael]

Hi!
I filed early, electronically and got my refund direct deposit within 3 days.
The deadline has passed for the stimulus rebate to be electronically deposited in my account and still nothing.
Do I need do anything else?

[William Hung]

I got mine today, May 5, my last two numbers of my ssn are 22.