Why sign in to the Community?

  • Submit a question
  • Check your notifications
Sign in to the Community or Sign in to TurboTax and start working on your taxes
New Member
posted Dec 21, 2020 9:36:46 PM

I filed my taxes jointly with my wife in early 2020, is it possible to have my stimulus check sent to my bank account instead of hers which was listed on TurboTax?

I mean the December 2020 $600 stimulus check.

0 4 497
4 Replies
Level 15
Dec 22, 2020 5:25:56 AM

Your banking information cannot be changed after your tax return has been filed and accepted.

 

Banking information does not go from TT to the IRS until you file your 2020 tax return and it is accepted. The IRS will begin to accept  and process 2020 returns at the end of January 2021.

 

You enter/change banking information in the FILE section before you file your 2020 return. Changing it on the TurboTax site does not do any good until you file your return and the IRS processes your return.   If they manage to start sending  out stimulus checks before you can change your information, we hope the IRS provides a way for you to change it with the IRS.  If your check goes to a wrong or closed account, it will be sent back to the IRS and then the IRS will mail a check to the address on your tax return.

Level 15
Dec 22, 2020 8:53:44 AM

suggest watching the IRS.GOV web site and their FAQs for the 2nd stimulus. 

 

They are talking about beginning the direct deposits as quickly as next week, so I suspect the ability to change bank accounts will be limited. 

 

Also, if it is a joint return, I do not recall there was an ability to split the stimulus payments between two bank accounts, which is what the phrasing of your question suggests. 

Level 3
Dec 27, 2020 3:03:00 PM

It MAY be possible to get the IRS to route your money differently - assuming Congress & the President get around to enacting this beast of a bill -  by setting up EFTPS to point to your preferred account.

EFTPS - Electronic Federal Tax Payment System® - at eftps.gov - to get started, then make a $1 estimated tax payment.  With luck, they'll recognize this as your most recent bank account and send the money there. 

 

Level 15
Dec 27, 2020 5:15:50 PM

here is the IRS' most recent FAQ on changing bank accounts for the stimulus: 

 

 

My bank account information has changed or was incorrect. Can I update it using the tool? (updated June 8, 2020)

 

No. To help protect against potential fraud, the tool does not allow people to change direct deposit information already on file with the IRS.

If we issue a direct deposit and the bank information is invalid or the bank account has been closed, the bank will reject the deposit. We will then mail your Payment as soon as possible to the address we have on file for you, and we will update Get My Payment to reflect the date your payment will be mailed. Typically, once the payment is mailed, it will take up to 14 days to receive the payment, standard mailing time.