Coronavirus News: What to do if you're still missing your stimulus money

ByNina Pineda WABC logo

Monday, June 15, 2020

What to do if you're still missing your stimulus money

Nina Pineda has the tips to follow if you still haven't received your stimulus check.

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- If you are still waiting on your economic impact money, you're not alone.

The so-called "stimulus money" being sent out in checks, direct deposit and recently via debit cards is still being distributed.

But if you got a letter confirming your money was sent, but never received it, you need to take action.

Isabelle Myerson-Diamond received a letter May 21 stating her economic impact funds, $2,400, were put in her bank account back on May 13.

"My concern is they have my checking account info, they say they gave it to me, was it intercepted by someone and they took it away from me?" Myerson-Diamon said.

Furloughed from her job as a closet designer, Myerson-Diamond is coping with the death of her husband Michael who passed away in April after a long illness -- and because of COVID-19 restrictions, she couldn't even be with him.

She Is eligible for her late husband's and her own stimulus money combined, but when she tries to track the $2,400 on the IRS.gov's "My Payment" page, she gets nowhere.

"If you haven't received your stimulus checks don't panic because you're not alone, a recent report shows there are 30-35 million outstanding payment," said Susannah Snider.

Snider is a senior editor covering personal finance for U.S. News and World Report. She says the IRS is still processing stimulus checks.

She recommends double-checking the "My Payment" page to make sure the IRS has your correct bank account info and check with your bank to see if the money was rejected.

Myerson-Diamond says she's done both.

"I kept calling the bank and checking with different managers thinking they had the wrong information, they told me if it got there and had the wrong information, it would've been rejected, but it was never rejected, it just never got there," she said.

Fill out Form 3911 from IRS.gov if there is no trace of your money, and if it fails to surface, Snider says claim it on next year's taxes.

"I know for someone who lost their job, it's no comfort to say wait another 8-9 months, but that's another option as well," she said.

That may be the only option for Myerson-Diamond.

7 On Your Side asked the IRS to call her to help.

Here is the information the IRS gave us:

I never received my Payment after it was issued or I received it and it was lost, stolen or destroyed. Can I initiate a trace on my Payment using Get My Payment? (added June 9, 2020)

No. Get My Payment cannot be used to initiate a trace on your Payment. If you never received your payment after it was issued or if you received it but it was lost, stolen or destroyed, see Get My Payment shows that my Payment was issued but I never received it. How do I get a new one?

Get My Payment shows that my Payment was issued but I never received it. How do I get a new one? (added June 9, 2020)

If Get My Payment shows your Payment was issued but you have not received it and it has been more than 5 days since the scheduled deposit date (or more than 4 weeks since it was mailed by check (6 weeks if you have a forwarding address on file with the local post office; 9 weeks if you have a foreign address)), you should initiate a trace on your Payment by calling the IRS at 800-919-9835 or you may submit Form 3911 (PDF). If you call, please be advised that you may experience long wait times or recorded assistance due to limited staffing. If you submit the form and you are Married Filing Joint, both spouses must sign the form.

Note: If a direct deposit, check with your bank before initiating a trace to verify they did not receive the deposit. Do not request a Payment trace if you are trying to determine eligibility for the Payment or the amount of Payment you should have received. You must have been issued Notice 1444 or received a payment date from Get My Payment to perform a trace.

Your claim for a missing Payment is processed one of two ways:

-If the check wasn't cashed, you'll receive a replacement check once the original check is canceled.

Note: If you find the original check and receive a replacement, you MUST return the original as soon as possible.

-If the refund check was cashed, the Bureau of the Fiscal Service (BFS) will provide you with a claim package that includes a copy of the cashed check. Follow the instructions for completing the claim package. BFS will review your claim and the signature on the canceled check before determining whether they can issue you a replacement check.

Also people who don't usually file taxes because of low income should use what's called a non-filers tool. You have until October 15 to submit that form and get the stimulus money your deserve.