Stimulus Checks

[u36704]

My son and his girlfriend take turns claiming their child on tax returns.  This year it is his turn.  Problem is neither one of them received a stimulus check for the child.  Since she claimed the child last year, should I say he didn't get the stimulus check on son's return, or should the mother claim she didn't get on her return?

[JoannaB2]

Most taxpayers received the 1st and 2nd round of stimulus payments.  If you didn’t get any payments or got less than the full amounts, you may qualify for the Recovery Rebate Credit and must file a 2020 tax return to claim the credit even if you don’t normally file.  

On the Recovery Rebate Credit form questions, "How much the first actual stimulus amount received", you may enter zero, if you didn't receive it.  Do the same on the question about 2nd stimulus payment.

See Recovery Rebate Credit for more information.

[u36704]

Thanks, but that's not really the question.  Should my son claim that he didn't get the rebate for the child, or should the mother claim that she didn't get the rebate for the child.  Mother claimed child as her dependant for 2019 and Father is claiming dependant for 2020.

[JamesG1 · Accepted solution]

The stimulus checks were originally issued under the 2018 or 2019 information that the IRS had on file.  Some taxpayers received payments for dependents and some did not.  In your case, no one has received a payment for the dependent.

Ultimately, the payments are verified against 2020 information reported on the 2020 Federal tax return.

If, in fact, no one has yet received a payment for the child, the parents will have to decide who will claim the dependent because that person will receive both stimulus payments for the child.