How to enter stimulus payment received in TurboTax

[hompipah]

We do married filing joint every year. I have SSN and my wife only have ITIN. So, in the past 5 years I used SSN and my wife used ITIN for the filing. We have two kids. In March 2020, we got our permanent resident status. Now my wife has SSN. This year both of us are filing using our SSN.

Based on the stimulus package requirement everyone must have SSN in the household to be entitled to receive the first stimulus. We received $0 for the first stimulus payment. The requirement that everyone in the household must have SSN was changed for the second stimulus. So, we received $1800 (instead of $2400 because my wife was using ITIN for the filing).  

 This brings up my question. How do we enter the amount of payment that we received in the stimulus section for this year return? If we put $0 for the first stimulus and $1800 for the second stimulus. It says that we have $4000 credit. Based on the requirement to receive stimulus payments, I do not think this is correct. Please advise.

Regards   

[ThomasM125]

You should have received $2,400 for the two of you for the first stimulus and $1,000 for the kids, assuming they were under ager 17. You should have received $2,400 for the second one for all of you. So, if you received $1,800, the difference would be $4,000.

The IRS goes off of what is on your tax return for 2020 to figure your stimulus benefit, not what was on your 2019 tax return, that was just used to estimate what you would enter in 2020. So, the stimulus payment you have due you seems accurate.

[hompipah]

Thanks Thomas. Based on the requirement to receive stimulus payments, we should not entitled to get the first stimulus and we should entitled to get $1800 (myself and two of kids) for the second one. This is because my wife filed using ITIN in past years.  We did receive $1800 for the second stimulus. So, there should not be any amount due. It should be $0 credit instead of $4000 credit.

I know it is sound funny to complain for getting some money, but I want to make sure everything is correct.     

[JamesG1 · Accepted solution]

Under the initial rule, when the first stimulus payment was issued, if one spouse in a married filing jointly tax return does not have a Social Security number, neither spouse can receive the stimulus payment.

Under the rules of the second stimulus payment, if one spouse does not have a Social Security number, the spouse with a Social Security number and the qualifying children with a Social Security number will receive the stimulus check.

The COVID-19 Relief Package retroactively changed the rule for the first stimulus payment to be the same as the rule for the second stimulus payment.

However, no first stimulus payment will be issued.  The payment is issued on your 2020 tax return as a Recovery Rebate Credit (RRC).  You can access your stimulus check choices by following these steps:

• Down the left side of the screen, click on Federal.
• Across the top of the screen, click on Other Tax Situations.
• At the screen Let’s keep going to wrap up.  Click on Let’s keep going.
• At the screen Let’s make sure you got the right stimulus amount, click Continue.
• At the screen Did you get a stimulus payment? you can update your stimulus check entries.

 Examples

Former first stimulus check rules:

John and Mary are married and filed their taxes jointly. Mary has an SSN and John does not. John and Mary are ineligible for the first stimulus check and miss out on $2,400.

Second stimulus check rules:

John and Mary are married and filed their taxes jointly. Mary has an SSN and John does not. Mary is eligible for a second stimulus check of $600 even though John is ineligible. Since the SSN rule change is retroactive, Mary can also get the first stimulus check of $1,200 as the Recovery Rebate Credit when she and John file their 2020 tax return.

See also here and here.

[hompipah]

Thanks! I did not know that that the COVID-19 Relief Package retroactively changed the rule for the first stimulus payment to be the same as the rule for the second stimulus payment.  It makes sense now. 

[Migilla99]

Didn't work. I had seen that question when I had first started my return but couldn't find the form.

Now I have the form but following the steps and it doesn't ask the question.
I've tried a bunch of times.

[Cynthiad66]

@Migill['p]a99 Please provide additional details for your question.  What is your question regarding the Stimulus payments so that we can address your situation.

[Whiteleg]

I am stuck!

I went online & created an IRS account to view my Stimulus payments ~ it does not match my bank and what Autofilled in Turbo Tax.

I am married, filed jointly and have 2 kids.

Turbo Tax said:

First Round: $2900

Second Round: $1800

IRS Said: 

First Round: $1700 (is that just for me or both my wife and I?)

Second Round: $1200 (same question)

I got $3400, which I thought was $1200 for each of us and $500 for each of the 2 kids

Then I got $2400, which I thought was $600 a person.

I am very confused and makes a huge difference to my return.

Do I match IRS and say $1700/$1200 when I know that is not correct?

PLEASE HELP

[VolvoGirl]

Enter the amounts you actually got in the 2 boxes.  Looks like you got the right amounts so you don't qualify for any more.  Make sure your 1040 line 30 is 0 or blank.  It's ok you already got more than you qualify for based on your 2020 return.  Did one of your children turn 17 in 2020?  You don't have to pay any back.  

[VolvoGirl]

I can try to break it down for you.  One child must have turned 17 in 2020.  So Turbo Tax is saying you should have got 2400 for married plus 500 for 1 Dependent = 2900.  And 3 people for the second one 3x600=1800.

For the IRS, looks like they are just showing for 1 spouse and 1 Dependent.  1200+500=1700 and 2 people x 600=1200.  Don't know why that is not including the other spouse.

The 3400 and 2400 you already got is more.  You don't have to pay any back.  Just don't try to claim any again on line 30.

[Whiteleg]

That makes sense - I did have a child that turned 17 in 2020.  The thing I am confused by is, when I enter in the 3400 and 2400, my balance owed jumps... I did not expect anything to change and it is confusing me... 

In turbotax... I don't understand.

You did achieve a miracle on the amounts, so helpful.

Do you know why my return shows I owe a lot more when entered?

[Whiteleg]

It shifs my overall tax liability by about $1500! 
That does not make sense to me, so I must have something wrong.

[macuser_22]

No.  That is expected.  

TurboTax first calculates what you should receive based on the tax information you entered and add that to your refund, so the refund appears to go up.  Then it asks if you received any or all of that amount and subtracts anything already received so the refund amount goes back down.    Until you tell it how much you received it does not know how much to remove.

[Whiteleg]

This was all very helpful & has helped to restore some sanity.

I did not expect my taxes to jump the way they did, I owed a small amount and now I owe almost $1500+ more than what I was before entering in the amounts.  I am still confused, but not as bad.  Just have to keep staring at it.

Do appreciate that help!  Invaluable

[bmarserv]

I didnt get a second stimulus check at all. Where is this accounted for