$1200 Stimulus; 2019 AGI Less than 2018

[TaxQuestions1978]

I haven't filed my 2019 taxes yet.

With my 2019 AGI, I would qualify my wife and I for the stimulus check $1,200 x 2

With my 2018 AGI, I would NOT receive any stimulus check.

* Until when do I have to file my 2019 taxes to be eligible for the greater stimulus check? 

[DoninGA]

So your Adjusted Gross Income in 2018 was greater than $198,000 and your Adjusted Gross Income in 2019 is going to be $150,000 or less?

https://www.nytimes.com/article/coronavirus-stimulus-package-questions-answers.html

Single adults with Social Security numbers who have an adjusted gross income of $75,000 or less will get the full amount. Married couples with no children earning $150,000 or less will receive a total of $2,400. And taxpayers filing as head of household will get the full payment if they earned $112,500 or less.

Above those income figures, the payment decreases until it stops altogether for single people earning $99,000 or married people who have no children and earn $198,000. According to the Senate Finance Committee, a family with two children will no longer be eligible for any payments if its income surpassed $218,000.

[Dan]

I have this same situation due to retiring in 2018.  From what I heard last week, if you have not filed your 2019 tax return, the IRS will use your 2018 AGI to calculate the amount of your check.  I was holding off filing since I owed money.  When I heard this I immediately filed and the IRS accepted my return.  This was 2 days before the bill was signed, so I think I am good.  

[LJMx4]

Same situation for me, 2019 AGI lower than 2018 and would allow us to qualify for stimulus. I just filed 2019 taxes this past Saturday, any way to have IRS apply this new AGI??? Could not find any way to contact them. 

[lfbrennan]

I have the same question, haven't been able to find an answer.

[Critter]

Sadly the IRS has not addressed that issue of when to file a 2019 return to get the stimulus so until they do no one really knows.  

[SusanY1]

The IRS has already started calculating payments, and it may be too late to update yours for this year.  However, if your 2020 income allows you to claim a greater amount, you can do so as a credit on your tax return when you file that one. 

Filing 2019 as soon as possible (electronically) would give the best chance to update the advance payment received, but there is no guarantee that it would update it for you.  If you file by mail, I would venture a guess that you will have to apply for any discrepancy as a credit in 2020 as the IRS is not currently processing paper returns and I would imagine it would not be processed before your payment is already sent out to you. 

@lfbrennan

[lfbrennan]

Thanks for the information! I guess I’ll (hopefully) just get a credit next year. 

[DawnC]

If you do not get the full amount of your payment in advance, you will receive a tax credit when you file your 2020 tax return.  

[sueb]

So I have this issue as well.  1st stimulus was calculated on 2018 tax return which our AGI was greater, but only received the correct portion for myself and nothing for my husband for the first stimulus.   Filed taxes for 2019 in August 2020 and we did not receive stimulus for December, 2020 yet we were eligible.  When using TurboTax I am able to enter the portion I received, but it is calculating using full amounts .  Shouldn't it only count the portion for my husband and myself for the1st stimulus, not the full amount when applying the credit for 2020 taxes.

[VolvoGirl]

The Stimulus Checks are really based on your 2020 return we are filing in 2021.  So any amount you already got will be reconciled on your 2020 return line 30.  If you didn't get a Stimulus Check (and qualify) or you qualify for more it will be added to your 2020 return.  But the good news is if they paid you too much they won't take it back.

There will be a screen with 2 boxes for each round.  If you didn't get one enter a 0 in the box.

When you go through the federal review tab it will ask how much you got if any.  Or to enter your stimulus payment in TurboTax, type "stimulus" (without the quotes) in the Search box, then click the link that says "Jump to stimulus."

After you have entered your tax information and are ready for the Federal Review, it will be the first question.

If you are trying to trigger it, you can go to Other Situations, answer any questions and click Done. The next automatic selection is Federal Review and it will ask about payments received.

The Recovery rebate credit is on 1040 line 30.  It either adds to your refund or reduced a tax due.

Before filing,  You can preview the 1040 or print the whole return

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/accessing/help/how-do-i-preview-my-turbotax-online-return-before-f...