When Will I Receive the Economic Stimulus Checks from the Government under Coronavirus Relief Payment Act

[Latest update] The government has finalized details of coronavirus relief stimulus checks and is expected to make these direct payments to millions of Americans in the coming days. Details can be found here.


[Updated with new extensions] Based on a number of reader questions, there is still some confusion around the key dates for receiving or claiming the economic stimulus tax credits. The IRS and Social Security administration (SSA) have published these, but not always in the most obvious places.

So here’s a straight forward summary of when the main tax credits and stimulus payments will be paid or when you have to claim them by. You can refer to the detailed articles on this site for eligibility rules and qualifications for each of the tax credits and deductions.

Making Work Pay – $800 (Families) and $400 (Singles) Tax Credit

More than 90% of Americans will be eligible for receiving some part of the center piece tax credit in the Obama economic stimulus plan. This credit is available to joint filers making less than $190,000 and $95,000 for single filers.

When will it be paid : For people who receive a paycheck and are subject to withholding, the credit will typically be handled by their employers through automated (i.e. you have to do nothing) withholding changes in early spring 2009. The average worker will see this tax credit in the form of a $10 to $20 bump in weekly paychecks. If you do not have withholdings or prefer not to adjust your withholding amount and can get your stimulus in a lump sum payment as a tax refund when you file your 2009 taxes.

The 2010 working credit will start to be paid from January 1, 2010 and will result in a $7 – $15 increase in take home pay (the reason it is less than 2009, is that payments are spread over a 12 month period versus 8 months for this year’s tax credit)

Taxpayers will not get a separate, special check mailed to them from the IRS like last year’s economic stimulus payment.

One Time $250 Social Security Payment

This stimulus package provided a one-time payment of $250 to individuals who get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security benefits. To receive payment, the beneficiary’s address of record must be in a valid US state or territory. Only individuals eligible for Social Security, SSI, Veterans, or Railroad Retirement benefits at any time during the months of November 2008, December 2008, or January 2009 may be eligible for the one-time payment.

You can see more details and questions on this payment here. Everyone who is entitled to a payment should receive it by late May 2009. No action is required on your part, unless the payment is not received. In which case you should contact your local SSA office (who are making this payment) or at 1-800-772-1213 (toll-free) and not the IRS.

The $250 payment will be delivered in the same way your current Social Security or SSI benefit is sent. If we deliver your monthly benefit by check, we will deliver your one-time payment by check. If you receive a monthly direct deposit or Direct Express debit card payment, that is how you will receive your one-time payment.

There is talk of another $250 payment in 2010 to make up for the lack of a COLA increase. See this article – “An Extra $250 Social Security Stimulus Payment in 2010 for Retirees, Veterans and the Disabled ” for more on this.

$8000 versus $7500 First Home Buyer Tax Credit [Extended into 2010]

The new home buyer credit has been extended into 2010 with new income limits and a $6500 credit for qualifying existing home owners. See this post – 2010 $8,000 First-Time Home buyer Tax Credit Extension Approved and Expanded with $6,500 For Existing Home Owners” – for more information on the extension.

This tax credit has generated the most confusion because of the fact a home buyer credit of $7,500 was also passed last year under the Bush administration, versus the improved and more favorable $8,000 credit approved under 2009 economic stimulus package. You can read the details and differences, plus the over 200 comments/questions at this detailed post. But here are the key dates and deadlines for the home buyer credit:

~ Taxpayers who qualify for the first-time home buyer credit and purchase a home this year before Dec. 1 have a special option (via form 5405) available for claiming the tax credit either on their 2008 tax returns due April 15 or on their 2009 tax returns next year. Qualifying taxpayers who buy a home this year before April 2010 can get up to $8,000, or $4,000 for married filing separately.

~ They do not have to repay the credit, provided the home remains their main home for 36 months after the purchase date.

~ The new stimulus payment is not available to people who purchased a home after April 8, 2008, and on or before Dec. 31, 2008. For these taxpayers who are claiming the credit on their 2008 tax returns, the maximum credit remains 10 percent of the purchase price, up to $7,500, or $3,750 for married individuals filing separately. In addition, the credit for these 2008 purchases must be repaid in 15 equal installments over 15 years, beginning with the 2010 tax y
ear

New Vehicle Buyer Sales Tax Deductions

This amendment in the stimulus package provides tax breaks for the purchase of new cars, light trucks, motor homes and motorcycles by providing a federal-income-tax deduction on local sales and excise taxes. It is applicable to any new vehicle purchased after February 17th 2009, until the end of the year (December 31st, 2009). The deduction is limited to the tax on up to $49,500 of the purchase price of an eligible motor vehicle

Any purchases made outside of the qualifying period are not eligible for the credit. See more in this detailed post.

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23 thoughts on “When Will I Receive the Economic Stimulus Checks from the Government under Coronavirus Relief Payment Act”

  1. In the past 3 years, my husband & I have suffered because of not getting any increase from Social Security & SSI, they have made us pay back SSI benefits when we owed them no over payment, & wouldn’t allow us to file an appeal. Then for October, they sent my Social Security check to a bank in California & I didn’t give them permission & on the 15th of this month, I still hasn’t gotten my check, & to beat this, they shut off our SSI checks & Medicaid for no true reasons. My husband & I are 71 years old disabled senior citizens & can’t get around without help from others, we needed our little checks to live because no one in our home has any income, so we are the ones who pays, we let them know when we moved, so if they needed info to update our files, all they had to do was to call or send us a letter, but they never did. And how did they get permission to send my check some place else? I’m the only one who should’ve given them this. So I feels that if there weren’t so many big crooks in the Whiye House, getting big salaries & not caring about the low-income people we would’nt have to be skipped over when it comes down to the cost of living increases they would see to it that we would get a little increase to help us make it. Most of us have worked for the benefits we should be getting. If they can’t live off of their six figure salaries, why do they think we can live off the little benefits they sends to us? I hope that they don’t change their minds about the increase/stimulus checks we are suppose to be getting. I thank God for the little we do get.
    Yhere are too many hungry & homeless people here in GA. There are all of these wild hogs running loose, tearing up farmer’s farms eating up crops, etc. Why not get those men that’s out trying to stop them, just kill the hogs or allow others to kill them and put them in refrigerated trucks and take them to hungry people & countries and let them eat them? It cost quite a lot of money and the hogs populations keeps growing. I would like to hear from anyone on this subject or maybe you have a solution.
    Alice Hurston, Atlanta, GA
    Call me:770-821-8398 or Email me
    Pray for our Leader & their families

    g

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  2. i would like to get form for refund through obama refund for ssi,ssd,unemployment i understand that it would be 1000 – 1900

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    • They said it was passed , But I’ve been searching the web for answers none so far but i did call social security and they said they haven’t gotten anything yet on when . I’ll keep searching an I’m also going to give a call too any agence i can get a phone number for .

      Wish me luck

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  3. 1st time home buyer’s, get an $8000.00 rebate, Cash for appliances stimulus rebate program, buy a new car for a sales tax deduction all of which will cost you for the next 10 to 30 years, depending on which you fall for. Hell, we can’t keep up with the economy as it is and congress gives all these motivations to keep you in debt for more than the rest of your life. The people is Washington don’t have to go to the store and buy milk or bread so, they don’t know the real cost of living. They use plastic in the resturants and get to write if off as a tax deduction while we pay thru the butt for service fees just for using a debit card, if your lucky to have one. It will never change in Washington because the good honest people. that would work to help our American people, are to damn poor to run for office. I worked 2 jobs for the last 16 years to support my son and my grandson. You would think I would have paid in more than what was calculated by the SS Administration but, I verily recieve $700. from social security and ssi. Either way they WIN.

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    • Mary I am there with you. I worked as a waitress, raised my three kids alone after hubby died and still ended up with the same amount of money each month. I do get food stamps but…….. I am getting so tired of eating soup. I love salad, but who can afford it?
      Meat? once in awhile and only when it is on sale.
      But what hurts more than that? I can not give my grandchildren gifts like other grandparents can.
      I want to get off of disability and go back to school. To learn something that I will be able to do with this broken down body of mine, BUT to go you need money. To apply for a grant, you need money…. to do anything you need money. Just how much do they think is left after I pay to live. I had to give up my car because I could not afford to keep one on the road what with insurance, repairs and not to mention the cost of gas.
      I am stuck here at home. USELESS .
      Does this government care? NO I feel like they have just tossed me away and I am now a “forgotten citizen”.
      Why is it that when you are poor you stay poor no matter how hard you try to climb up the ladder? BUT the rich.. .OH the POOR POOR Rich people who have it so hard. YES hard. They buy a new car.. they get a tax break.. I can not afford even a piece of junk
      They buy new appliances.. they get a tax break… I wash my clothes out by hand because there is not even enough in my funds to go to the launderette.
      Their kids buy a new home… they get a tax break that is just about the same amount that I get each year to live on. OH and my home? It is a trailer. Needs new windows, has a few leaks in the roof and some other things wrong with it but I can not squeeze it out of the funds right now.
      I can not ask my kids for help.. They have their own families and their own struggles. Granted they are doing better than I am and for that I am proud of them.

      Mary we are victims of this country that proves that in Washington, DC they just dont care about those who “COST” them money and not “GIVE GIVE GIVE” . I am a useless person or so it is what I feel.

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  4. I have to agree with you, no pay raises for anyone in government period. According to them there is no cost of living again this year. Well who set up this scale? Has anyone realized just going into the supermarket to buy a gallon of milk is almost $4.00. Wake up congress look out the window and see the millions of Americans struggling just to put food on their tables and a roof over their heads. We are not asking for a 35 million dollar bill out from poor business practice, we are simple asking for a cost of living raise. I myself say vote them all out and start over period. Not one person in Washington deserves the pay checks they get. Remember Washington your working for the people not yourselves. Pass the bill that will allow our countries most needy the elderly and disabled.

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  5. how come we as fathers who pay child support cannot receive a stimulant check i ,am disable with a weak heart .chf chronic kidney failure i was a truck driver but had to come off the road permanent since 2007 i miss going to work i talk to over 100 fathers and persons who pay in the system ps help us and ps put my letter before live tv and watch for the results thanks a million

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  6. whan do you get this $250 stimulus check. what criteria do you have to meet? my friend got hers and I didn’t. Neither did any one of my senior citizine friends.

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  7. My friend got a $250 check (stimulus) I on the other hand recevied none. Many of the seniors I know, haven’t received theirs either. What criteria, if any do you have to meet to get a check. Yes, I am on social security and so are my friends.

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  8. i am retired with a state pension and s.s.retirement. no one can fix what george w. did in eight years in only 22 months. why is it every time a republican president is elected the economy goes in the toilet. seems lick all the republicans can say is no to the american people, they have no real plan to fix anything,just fill their pockets with more money. it’s amazing how most of t6hem can look the voting public in the face and tell baldfaced lies. Vote Democrat in this election and get this country moving forward.

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  9. I AM A SENIOR CITZEN……….I AM SS. I AM A FIXED INCOME LIKE ALL OTHER SENIOR’S………WE CAN ALL USE THAT STIMULUS MONEY…I BET CONGRESS GETS PAID VERY WELL…….AND SO DOES ALL THE TOP DOGS……………SO WHY CAN’T WE GET SOME MONEY TOO………….WE HAVE WORKED ALL THESE YEARS AND PUT INTO OUR S.S. SO I THINK WE ARE INTITLED TO SOME TOO…………

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    • Elizabeth,
      You know the FAT CATS in WASHINGTON are getting their pay checks. AND it is our fault. They get their money from the “companies they own aka their personnal income” Most have rental units that they recieve income from , and to boot they have the pay check coming in for deciding how WE on SS are suppose to live. Yes it is our fault for voting such greed into offces.
      Maybe if I could see one of them live on the funds that we get I could believe that they have our best interest in mind when they “DECIDE” how to spend money from taxes or how much we ” SHOULD BE ABLE TO LIVE ON”.
      We all held high hopes on President Obama and I stll have hopes that he will be able to pull this country out of the GEORGE W BUSH hole we are in.
      He was given on heck of a mess and the people expect him to work miracles. We need to give him the time to perform that miracle. IS 4 years enough time? In my opinion …. NO
      If we gave GEORGE W 8 years to screw this up, then why not give our NOW PRESIDENT a chance to prove himself.. Why in the name of GOD would we want to pur another Republican into the White House to put us back into hell again?

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  10. hello may i say that our president has a boss called congress and they are what is hurting us i have voted demicrat most of my life but i well vote straight republican next year we need to get a new congress

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    • But it was the Republicans who put us in this position in the first place. I agree that Congress is our worst enemy but can’t we replace them with people other than Republicans? We’re just ping-ponging back and forth between two evils.

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      • And who do you think is runng Congress? Democrats? Oh yea they are. We are in this place because we havent had a good President in a long while. Deomcrats say the Repulicans are for the rich and the Republicans say the Democrats are for the rich. We just need the best man for the job. Look the President wanted this Healthcare reform that the people didnt want and Congress gave it to him. Time to clean house and replace the current Democrats holding office with Republicans and curent Republicans holding office with Democrats.

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        • Maybe it is time to put a POOR President back in charg.. Fill the House, Congress and Senate with POOR working slobs like the real americans and you will see just how much better this country would be.
          Why not put those who know how to live on meger means in control of the funds of this country and you will see how quickly things come back around. Instead of having 100 billion dollar budgets. A poor person could cut the cost of the budget down and still have enough money to apply to the deficit..

          Let the rich get off their duffs and learn what it is like to have someone in control of their money… their spending.. their lives.. Then they would understand the real meaning of LIFE.

  11. i read that the senate declined to pass another stimulus for the working class in 2010. the reason being that it would cost 13 billion dollars to pay all americans qualifying the rebate owed. so the senate voted to give themselves a raise but we americans are screwed? didn’t we vote to spend 13 billion on saving the green toed mucus frog of the south? i say get rid of all members of congress.

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    • I know that it makes for good public relations, BUT where do we draw the line when it comes to helping other countries?

      Why does it seem like the United States has to be the one who gives the most, does the most for other countries, but when it comes to helping their own, we are put on hold.

      What ever happend to :

      CHARITY begins at home?

      or does that not count when it comes to our own people?
      and do we really need to have the “green toed muscus frog” We have lived without the dinoraurs and so many ther extinct animals. Dont you think that if it comes to saving people the money should go to the people first?
      What is wrong with those in charge? Cant they see that they are being totally rediculous?

      Bring GOD back into this, because we are all out here praying for an answer.

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  12. i am tired of the working class people alway bitching about the stimulus for people with ssi they should not get anything because they make more money than people on ssi

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  13. I feel the people need the check. we have enough to pay I feel the President should give us a fair deal. We also need a cost of living raise if we dont’ get the check Why go after the people who need help so very bad . Give us a break please!

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  14. we, the working class American, when a raise is due us, that decision is in someone elses hands and is based on performance in most cases. It is very wrong for they themselves to be in charge of their raises. they should put it to the people and base it on job performance( how well they SERVE THE PEOPLE,who put them there, BY VOTE) at this stage of the game I believe we would be taking money back. If the American people are as smart as I believe they are….THIS WILL BE THEIR FINAL AND IN SOME CASES ONLY TERM.

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