Second Stimulus check

[PMR1]

Using TurboTax Home & Business to complete my tax return.  It asks how much was received on both stimulus checks.  I entered the first amount received last spring,  but the second check didn't arrive until January 4 so I entered 0 for that one for 2020.  I assumed that would be reported with the 2021 return.  But not reporting it increased my refund by $600.00.  That doesn't seem right and makes me think I should claim the second one in 2020 even though it wasn't received until 2021.  The government mailed them January 4.  Any advice?

[ColeenD3 · Accepted solution]

The program is asking whether or not you got your second check. Period. It doesn't matter when you got it. If you did not get it, answer $0. But, since you did, include the amount you received.

[PMR1]

Thank you.  I was coming to that same conclusion when I was reviewing the instructions, but I'm glad to get the feedback and validation

.

[cshawber]

Thanks for the answer, but that's not what I wanted to hear

[jflynn1761]

Thanks. I assumed the same thing since it isn't considered taxable income it doesn't matter when you got them.

[taylor2pj]

I have not received my second stimulus check. I have received my first and third.

[DianeW777]

You have not lost your stimulus money. The Recovery Rebate Credit will cover both the first and second stimulus payments. This will determine the full amount of potential refund you are entitled to based on income and eligible dependents, and will be part of the final combined refund on your return, or reduce the amount due, if applicable.  The 2020 return is where these two payments are required to be reconciled.

In TurboTax Online, to claim the Recovery Rebate credit please do the following:

1. Sign into your account and continue from where you left off
2. Click on Federal in the left-hand column, then on Federal Review on the top of the screen
3. On the next page titled Let's make sure you got the right stimulus amount, click on Continue
4. Follow the interview
5. TurboTax will determine whether you are entitled to any additional stimulus
6. Any stimulus amount remaining due to you will show as a credit on line 30 of your form 1040.

Get My Payment - Select the button Get My Payment to see if your information is current based on the payments you did receive.

[wehrmr7612]

Here's a tough one.... Got the first stimulus payment based on Married Filing Jointly. ($1200 x 2= $2400). Never got the second (or the third). Spouse passed away in January 2020, so technically I am not entitled to the second stimulus check based on Single Income. Does the IRS know that spouse is deceased based on Social Security records/info? Why am I being asked to enter the amount of $1200 only to force the IRS to have to decide whether I am really entitled to the stimulus or not. The IRS was WAY behind on workload all of 2020. I expect it will take forever to get my situation dealt with and to get my refund this year.  Guess they or Turbo Tax has not been able to refine the software to matchup death of a spouse with stimulus payment income and entitlement. 

[ReneeM7122]

Yes,  the IRS knows that your spouse is deceased based on Social Security records/info.  However you can keep your spouse's stimulus check if the death occurred after January 1, 2020.

Joint filers with a deceased spouse: For payments made to joint filers with a deceased spouse who died before January 1, 2020, return the decedent’s portion of the payment. This amount will be $1,200 unless your adjusted gross income exceeded $150,000.

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/questions-and-answers-about-the-first-economic-impact-payment-topic-a-e...

@wehrmr7612

[Twins53sher]

Why haven’t I received my second stimulus check?, but I received my first and second?

[b6zdmx47cty2h]

I did not receive the second stimulus check for $600.00. I had moved to my new address and it was not forwarded. How do i apply for it? Thank You

[Irene2805]

If you haven't yet filed your 2020 return, you can claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2020 tax return. This credit will allow you to get any stimulus money you're still owed—you'll just get it as a credit on your tax return instead of a separate payment.

To do this in TurboTax, please follow these steps:

1. Enter the information in your return.
2. Click Federal Review at the top of your screen.
3. On the screen, Let's make sure you got the right stimulus amount, click Continue.
4. You will be asked about the amounts of first round and second round stimulus payments you received.
5. TurboTax will then calculate the amount of stimulus payment remaining that you are still entitled to. This will show as a credit on line 30 of the 1040.

@b6zdmx47cty2h

[Dkrucheck]

I accidentally entered zero for the second stimulus payment.  I received a second stimulus payment in January 2021.  When I type stimulus in the search section it takes me to the third stimulus portion it will not let me go back and enter the second stimulus.  Where do I go back and enter the second stimulus? 

[xmasbaby0]

@Dkrucheck There is no place on your 2021 return to enter anything about the 2nd stimulus check.   You only enter information pertaining to the 3rd stimulus check on a 2021 return.   If you made a mistake on your 2020 return you will need to amend it to get the 2nd stimulus check.  Before you do that, check line 30 of your 2020 return and see if there was an amount there.   If you see $600 on that line you did get the 2nd stimulus check as a recovery rebate credit on your 2020 return.

[DoninGA]

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@Dkrucheck wrote:

I accidentally entered zero for the second stimulus payment.  I received a second stimulus payment in January 2021.  When I type stimulus in the search section it takes me to the third stimulus portion it will not let me go back and enter the second stimulus.  Where do I go back and enter the second stimulus? 

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The second stimulus can only be received on a 2020 tax return using the Recovery Rebate Credit.

You will have to amend the 2020 tax return.

See this TurboTax support FAQ for a 2020 amended tax return - https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/amending/help/how-do-i-amend-my-return/00/27439