Is anyone at Turbo Tax ever going to answer the question of whats being done to fix the Stimulus Check "glitch"?

[S_Kinison]

So news stories are everywhere now (US News & World Report, Washington Most, Money.com, among a dozen other national sites) that customers of Turbo Tax got their stimulus money sent to Turbo Tax bank accounts because of they handle some returns.  They mentioning Turbo Tax BY NAME, and yet there's NOTHING on their website to address the problem or what happens next.

Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/04/16/coronav[product key removed]lus-check/

US News & World Report: https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2020-04-17/why-you-still-havent-gotten-your-coron...

And when I go on the IRS.gov website to check the status of my check I get this: 

Not that it's been delayed, it's saying I'm not even eligible, and I definitely am.

Hello?  Is anyone home?

I guess I'll just keep posting this every hour on the hour until someone can be bothered to answer the question.  Thanks.

[SusanY1]

The message is not an indicator that you are not eligible.  It is an indicator that the Tool for checking does not yet have your data available to provide an update for you at this time.

The IRS is still in the process of updating this tool, with many tens of millions of users' data to still load into the system.

The bank account information for TurboTax filers is transmitted to the IRS as a part of the tax return. The IRS has the appropriate banking information for all TurboTax filers, which can be used by them to distribute economic impact payments.   This is true regardless of whether a customer chose to receive their refund on a debit card, selected refund transfer (refund processing service/SBTPG) or other services.

Posting here or anywhere else won't get you any other answers because the IRS Get My Payment tool is the ONLY way to get: 

• Your payment status
• Your payment type
• Additional information, like if IRS needs updated bank account information

If the tool does not have your information yet available, you can check it up to once per day.   Unfortunately, as frustrating as it may be, there isn't any other information to provide - it is simply not available. 

[S_Kinison]

@SusanY1 

So then these news articles are all just.... misinformed?  I'm confused as to why Turbo Tax would send the IRS two bank account numbers---the one for filer (which you're saying the IRS definitely has), and then one for the temporary accounts mentioned in the news stories which are now invalid and seen as a huge part of the problem.  The reports say that Turbo Tax (and H&R Block, and other tax prep agents) had returns sent to these accounts, their fees deducted, then the balance sent to the filer as agreed.

I wouldn't even think it was possible to send 2 accounts for one return.  You're saying these all these news reports are just wrong?

[SusanY1]

Yes, it is absolutely possible to report more than one bank account for direct deposit to the IRS. 

The IRS has allowed taxpayers to provide more than one bank account in order to split payment of refunds for a number of years.  This is not an unusual occurrence. 

More than one account may be on file with the IRS for a number of reasons including:

• taxpayer option to divide refunds (such as between spouses, or checking and savings accounts)
• use of optional tax company services 
• different accounts used in different tax years for refunds

Many, many taxpayers still have not received deposits of economic impact payments -including ones with fairly "straightforward" situations.   The simple truth is no one knows what the order the IRS is using to process payments or why some taxpayers are seeing their payments more quickly than others.  We have only one source of information about the payments -and that is the tool the IRS has provided for checking the status, which is not yet fully populated with all data.

[S_Kinison]

@SusanY1 

Thank you Susan.  That's the most information I've gotten on the subject since I started asking questions.

[S_Kinison]

@SusanY1 

Hey Susan, look at me, finally able to enter in my personal data!  This is the first time I ever got anything but the "unable to verify message".   Thanks for your help yesterday.

[SusanY1]

Now, that is some of the best news I've seen all week!  What a great way for me to start the weekend.  

You're welcome for yesterday, and thank you for letting me (and the others) know that you got this far. Perhaps this will give some hope to those who are still waiting to see that message.

Now, here's to hoping that the deposit gets to you quickly from this point!  

Take care,

Susan 

[njkj]

Hi.We could use some help. We are very frustrated. First, our son, who is 27 filed 2018, and he most recently filed his 2019 taxes through TurboTax. He is to receive a refund. This was sent in electronically around Feb. 23 for direct deposit. He has yet to receive his refund. Each time he checks the IRS site, it says the same thing, that they are still "processing it". There is no further information available. It's been 2 months! They have all his correct information and direct deposit is the same.  The IRS site states to contact them is it has been longer than 21 days...well, we are well past that and no one to contact. I feel so badly for him, as he could surely use those funds right now.  Then to add to this, he has not received his Stimulus check of $1200. He could surely use it, as his hours have been cut as his work.  My husband and I receive Social Security. We also file. We did file for 2018, but have not filed on 2019. We have not heard any status. We have not received our Stimulus Checks either. Were they to be deposited into the accounts we get our SS checks deposited? Last question, we have a 35 year old disabled daughter. She does receive SSDI and does not have to file. She has not received her Stimulus Check either. So, there you have it. We have tried every avenue possible to locate the funds. It's frustrating to only have the automative system that says the same thing over and over each day. To go to the IRS site, to only have the same message appear. What do we do? We have no way to actually talk to someone. Thank you for any information you can give us. 

[S_Kinison]

@SusanY1 

I'd read that the IRS was doing serious software updates Thursday thru Saturday nights of this week to address this very problem, so figured I'd try.  Looks like they were on the right track, so let people know.  I'm sure more will be asking.  🙂

Also, please check above this reply.  Looks like someone was looking for some help and ended up on this thread.

Thanks again.

[SusanY1]

For your son's return that is still processing, it sounds like perhaps it has been selected for a manual review.  This happens to a fair number of returns at random - it doesn't necessarily indicate that there is a problem with the return, however it does, of course, mean the problem of not getting the refund is still a hassle. 

Unfortunately, as you have learned, at the moment there is no one at the IRS to call in order to speed up the process or ask questions.  One thing that can sometimes help you to understand what the hold up is, is to review the tax transcript.  It won't speed anything up to have it but some taxpayers seem to just feel better getting some confirmation that something is happening and their return isn't just lost in space.   You can get tax transcripts here: IRS transcripts.

We still can't quite decipher the order that the IRS is sending out deposits or checks.  You can check on your specific payment status here: IRS Get my Payment.  This tool allows you to see when the IRS sends or intends to send your payment and by what method.  In some cases, it allows you to update your information.

IRS is currently requesting that SSI recipients, like your daughter, register here to expedited their payments: IRS non-filer payment registration

If you check the IRS site and your information isn't yet available, check again the next day as they are still updating their systems.  You can check the status for yourself and for your son and daughter here - although I would expect it to take a number of days after registration for your daughter's information to be located by the tool.

I hope your family starts to see payments and refunds soon!   

@njkj

@S_Kinison - thank you!

[njkj]

Thank you so much for your reply! It's all so frustrating- especially for my son who could use the money. His hours were cut at his employment. We have read that IF you already get Social Security and don't file, such as our daughter because of her SSDI, then it would be automatically deposited - as is her SSDI check each month. Is that the case, or do we need to go to the site your mentioned in your reply?  Also, my husband and I get SS because we are retired, but we still file our taxes. We have not received ours yet. Today when we checked on the stimulus money it stated we weren't even in the system. OMG! We have checked almost daily with the same information- only to get the same reply we had always gotten. But today,  the reply was that "they couldn't match us in their system with the information given". Nothing has changed. Our son can't get any response on his checking either. He did receive his 2018 refund, as stated, but just waiting on the 2019. So he should be able to get his stimulus money. Everything has always been direct deposited. So how do you get into an area that lets you put in the direct deposit information- just to make sure it's all there? I just wish there was someone to talk to live...or someone that would answer the information such as you are doing. I so appreciate what you have shared with us. Thank you very much. I will keep you posted as to how the saga unfolds. 

[SusanY1]

I would go to the site and register for your daughter for sure. The information from the IRS seems to be conflicting at times regarding whether or not it is required for SSDI recipients, but I believe it would expedite receipt for her.

I do know that over the weekend some changes were made to the tool and database - but not sure why you would have been able to find some information previously and are now receiving a different error. 

Since you file taxes and receive social security, I believe that your payment will automatically reach you in time but I know there are many folks whose payments have not yet been processed. 

Since you indicated that your son has received his refund for 2018 that does tell me that the IRS has the information necessary to send his payment.  There is still only the tool mentioned before (here: Get my Payment) to check the status.  Not being able to find information in the tool doesn't necessarily indicate that the payment won't arrive - it just means there is no known way to check on the status currently. 

I do hope it all sorts itself out soon, and I would go register your daughter to expedite her payment.  

@njkj

[njkj]

Hi- Just wanted to tell you, my daughter, that receives SSDI received her Stimulus Check yesterday.Yahoo!  Our son is still in limbo-waiting. We are still waiting. Thank you. I followed your suggestions- So we will see how things unfold. I will keep you posted IF/WHEN we receive anything more, or learn more on the IRS refund. Thank you again for your help.