Wrong Stimulus Check Amount

[QueenAK95]

My spouse claimed our children on his 2019 taxes that he filed WITH Turbo Tax January 2019. We were supposed to receive $1200 plus 2 Dependent according to the IRS calculator but instead we only received $1700.  How can we get it corrected to receive the money ? And why is it wrong. 

[DoninGA]

If one of the children were age 17 or older they were not eligible for the $500 stimulus payment.

Call the IRS for information on your payment - 1-800-919-9835

[QueenAK95]

My kids were 7years old and 1 month when my spouse filed his taxes January 2019. So we are missing $500 according to every stimulus check calculator including the IRS websites instructions to calculate it. 

[xmasbaby0]

@QueenAK95 Was the baby born in 2020?  If so, then you could not claim the child on your 2019 return.  You will claim the child on your 2020 return when you file it in early 2021.  And even if the child was born in 2019, the IRS might have used your 2018 return to issue the stimulus money.  They could look at either 2018 or 2019.  The stimulus money is actually an advance on money you can get when you file your 2020 return, so you can get it then if your check did not include the $500 for the baby.

[QueenAK95]

My son was born December 2018!!!! The IRS was supposed to use the MOST RECENT tax return information on file to calculate stimulus checks. The most recent Tax return my spouse filed and received was 2019. 

[xmasbaby0]

@QueenAK95 What you are saying is confusing.  So the last time your spouse filed a tax return was a 2018 tax return which he filed in January of 2019?  Was your child claimed as a dependent on that return?  So no return has even been filed for 2019?  Is there a reason why you and your spouse have not filed a 2019 return?  And you say your spouse filed---are you married and filing married filing separately?  (Why are you not filing a joint return?)

The EIP program was put together very hastily, and in some cases parents did not receive the $500 for children.  The remedy for it will be with your 2020 return when it is filed in 2021.

[QueenAK95]

Okay let me start over. I’m a stay at home mother and make no income. We didn’t not get married until 2020. My husband works. We have my daughter is was born in 2012 and my son who was born in December of 2018. He filed his 2019 tax return in January of 2019 claiming BOTH of them on it. When we received stimulus checks we only got 1700$ when we thought we were supposed to get $2200.

[xmasbaby0]

@QueenAK95 Got it.  Now I see why only the child's father filed and claimed the children.  The answer is still the same.  You will be able to file a joint return for 2020 next year, and claim the children on that return and get the stimulus $500 then. The IRS has not provided an easy method to "fix" the amounts for people who did not get the full amount they expected for dependent children.  So sorry....you will get it next year.

Here is what the IRS says about EIP payments that were "short" this year:

Q30. I think the amount of my Economic Impact Payment is incorrect. What can I do? (updated June 10,...

A30. Payment amounts vary based on income, filing status and family size. If you filed a 2019 tax return, the IRS used information from it about you, your spouse, your income, filing status and qualifying children to calculate the amount and issue your Payment. If you haven’t filed your 2019 return or it has not been processed yet, the IRS used the information from your 2018 return to calculate the amount and issue your Payment. The IRS is not able to correct or issue additional payments at this time and will provide further details on IRS.gov on the action people may need to take in the future.

If you did not receive the full amount to which you believe you are entitled, you will be able to claim the additional amount when you file your 2020 tax return.  This is particularly important for individuals who may be entitled to the additional $500 per qualifying child payments. See the question earlier in this section on determining the amount of your Economic Impact Payment.

Keep the Notice 1444, Your Economic Impact Payment, you will receive regarding your Economic Stimulus Payment with your records. This notice will be mailed to each recipient’s last known address within a few weeks after the Payment is made. When you file your 2020 tax return next year, you can refer to Notice 1444 and claim additional credits on your 2020 tax return if you are eligible for them. The IRS will provide further details on IRS.gov on the action they may need to take.

[VolvoGirl]

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@QueenAK95 wrote:

Okay let me start over. I’m a stay at home mother and make no income. We didn’t not get married until 2020. My husband works. We have my daughter is was born in 2012 and my son who was born in December of 2018. He filed his 2019 tax return in January of 2019 claiming BOTH of them on it. When we received stimulus checks we only got 1700$ when we thought we were supposed to get $2200.

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ps.....just to check your dates.  Do you mean he filed his 2019 return in January 2020 this year?  

Or that he filed his 2018 return in January 2019?  

If he filed his 2019 return was it accepted?  Double check your efile status here

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/efile-status-lookup/