Official COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and extension thread

[DDNeedHelp]

Given INCORRECT information by this thread- can someone else assist?

My issue: I filed in 2018. I have since closed that bank account (and have new direct deposit information) and moved (and have a new address).

I was unemployed all of 2019 and neither need to, nor am able to, file a 2019 tax return.

I tried to update my address with the IRS by mailing a Form 8822 to the appropriate office around four weeks ago. I have no idea if this process was completed, and no way to find out.

I used the Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info portal on the IRS site. I entered both my new address and my new DD info.  I then received an email saying: "Congratulations, the IRS has accepted your Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info return."

HOWEVER, another page on the official IRS site is saying that the "Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info" portal CANNOT be used in this manner by people like me, who submitted a 2018 return, didn't submit a 2019 return, and need to update both their address AND their DD info.

I quote: "2018 Filers: If you need to change your account information or mailing address, file your 2019 taxes electronically as soon as possible. That is the only way to let us know your new information."

This can be found at https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments under "Update your bank account or mailing address."

I am confused. The wording on this page https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/non-fi[product key removed]nt-info-here makes it sound like people in my situation can use the Non-Fliers portal. The wording on the other page makes it sound like we're completely ****ed.

I am getting told two different things by the IRS site and at least three different things by community forums like this. Does "Non-Fliers" mean "You didn't file a 2019 return" or "You filed NEITHER a 2018 return NOR a 2019 return"?

Like many other people, my information is being flagged as incorrect when I "Check your payment status." I moved from an apartment to an apartment- no idea which address they have, or how to enter an apartment street address; is it:

[removed]

EDIT: An overzealous (auto?)moderator removed my blatantly, ridiculously fake example addresses; my point is that there's a dozen ways to format a street name/apartment number, and I'm not sure if formatting issues are why my attempts keep failing

or any of the other dozen possible combinations? I've tried multiple versions, with both my new and old address, but I keep failing and getting locked out for 24 hours.

If anyone out there can help at all with this absolute cluster, I would appreciate it.

EDIT: My main concern is that the IRS will attempt to deposit the funds into my old bank account, get rejected because that account is closed, and send a paper check to my OLD address. And that the person living at my old address would steal the check, and I would have no way to get my money.

I'm also unsure why the ONLY way to update my address is via filing a 2019 tax return; why is sending a Form 8822 (like I did over a month ago) suddenly unacceptable?

[ambition2success]

Thats a Lie I filed for 2019 got my refund and they still sent the stimulous later to the account i no longer have from my 2018 return. Im stating a fact cause it just happened to me. The portal set up had the message it was being deposited in an acct ending in...and gave me the last 4 numbers of a closed account with a different bank and like i said from 2018. If i filed 2019 you payed me direct deposit why wouldnt the stim go to the same account. makes no sense. Those mail out checks could take months and with everything going on you have to track the checks down.

Spoiler

[8RichardL9]

TurboTax user that used the Non filers form CHECK GET MY PAYMENT NOW! I filled out the "TurboTax free Stimulus Registration for non-tax filers" on Apr 4th and just now I checked Get My Payment and it told me that I'm getting the stimulus checked deposited into my bank account on Apr 22nd!

[Tophernyg]

You said you submitted on the 4th... what day did the irs accept it??? Just wondering so I can get an idea of when mine might come.

[WriteABC]

@DDNeedHelp 

Supposedly, people will receive a letter 15 days after the checks are sent to them (or deposits are deposited) with instructions on what to do if they didn't receive their checks or deposits. We're yet to see what this instructions will be as the checks and deposits only begun being deposited. Surely, I'd hope articles about it will pop in time.

That being said, no one should be able to deposit a check written to your name (aside from yourself, or people stealing your identity) as banks would be fool to clear them since the IRS would never clear the funds to the bank unless the receiving account is to said name. If, and that is a big IF, a bank were foolish enough to clear the check for whoever lives at your old address, that would be the bank's responsibility, as you could still claim you never received nor cashed the check.

[8RichardL9]

It was same day. I filled out everything on TurboTax and sent it and then just a couple of hours later it was accepted. If you use TurboTax you should be able to see the status of it. It shouldn't take that long to be accepted. Accepted doesn't mean that the IRS is sending you the refund. Accepted means that its in the IRS system so if you go to the IRS site and use the Where's My Refund tool it will say Return Received. If it said that then the IRS has your info. Your Return/Refund doesn't have to be approved to receive the Stimulus Check. Mines hasn't yet.

[Cam9922]

I filed my 2019 using turbo card. This past Monday  I went to get my payment,  irs said I was eligible but didn't have my dd info. It allowed me to add it. Now it says that once the have a date for my payment it willpost  and also shows me the updated account info.

Now just waiting doe that date. 

[DDNeedHelp]

Thanks for the response!

My concern is that if the check is mailed to the incorrect address, any follow-up mail will be as well. They seem to have absolutely no structures in place to account for the fact that people might have moved since early 2019. Which is why I really wish there was a way to double-check which address they have on file for me, but they didn't seem to feel a need to account for that, either.

I'm also really hoping it doesn't come down to me trying to wrangle my $1,200 from a bank I don't patronize halfway across the country. My secondhand experience is that banks are notoriously difficult to deal with in any situation where they might be at fault. And if it comes down to any kind of legal preceding, the costs of even an inexpensive lawyer would blow right through the $1,200.

[WriteABC]

@DDNeedHelp 

Technically speaking, they normally have the mail forms or phone line to answer address related questions. Thing is, we were hit by the double whammy of under-budgeted IRS and non-essential personnel furlough. So now, they're neither solving the queue of several month-long snail-mail forms, nor are their phone lines working (except for the tax-refund lines, which are managed by script-stuck personnel and won't answer any question not related to a direct-debit or refund).

You can normally check the status of your address or how to change through the instructions on the IRS's website: https://www.irs.gov/faqs/irs-procedures/address-changes

On the note of a random bank crediting your check to someone else if they were to wrongly cash-it-in after having it wrongly delivered to them, don't worry. As far as the IRS is concerned, if a bank credited the check to someone they shouldn't have, that's their (bank's) issue. The IRS won't credit the funds to the bank unless you're the one cashing it out (personally, or someone else to an account opened to your name). This in turn means that as far as they're concerned, even if someone else were to do that, you never claimed the check. 

If that were to happen, they'll certainly have a way to resolve the situation. One that they'll supposedly disclose in the upcoming weeks. As for now, I guess all we can do is wait.

I'm in a similar situation, as I also need to check what address they have on record for me, as all they're automated systems are telling me the address I'm writing is invalid/doesn't match their records when I only started filing taxes this year. Which shouldn't happen, 'cause once again, they should only have 1 address of mine on record. And I filed on January, so I don't think it's an issue of wait and see. 

But hey, you know, government efficiency.

 

[gwwmaw]

I had not filed my 2019 taxes before receiving the stimulus check and therefore the amount was based on my 2018 return which did not qualify me for the full stimulus amount.  Income in 2019 was much lower and I would have qualified for the full amount.  Is there anyway of recovering the amount reduced.

[bluedeb · Accepted solution]

@gwwmaw   You cannot do anything about it now but for most Americans, stimulus payments are based on adjusted gross income reported on 2018 and 2019 tax returns. The payment is technically an advance on a tax credit that offsets your 2020 tax liability.  So when you file your 2020 tax return in 2021, you may still qualify for the stimulus money which would be on your 2020 tax return.

[Mhale629]

If you check the GET MY PAYMENT on IRS and it throws you out and locks you for 24 hours, do what I did.  Enter your address and AGI for 2018 ALSO THE AMOUNT OF YOUR 2018 REFUND WHETHER YOU GOT IT OR NOT.  It worked like a charm, I was able to enter my Direct deposit information to get my check to me.  DO NOT put in 2019 information. There is a definite DISCONNECT between TurboTax and IRS.  I thought it was fishy that once I filed my 2019 it IMMEDIATELY told me my return was accepted.  This is NOT true.  There is NO way they had direct and immediate confilability with the IRS.  Also, if you owe the IRS and are entitled to a return, unless they ACTUALLY SENT YOU A REFUND, the IRS DOES NOT HAVE YOUR DD INFORMATION.  Save yourself some aggravation.  Filing your taxes by TurboTax guarantees NOTHING.... Just ask the thousands of people who have NOT received their refunds.... The IRS closed down at the HEIGHT if issuing refunds.... How convenient.  Hope this helps. 

[Mhale629]

If you check the GET MY PAYMENT on IRS and it throws you out and locks you for 24 hours, do what I did.  Enter your address and AGI for 2018 ALSO THE AMOUNT OF YOUR 2018 REFUND WHETHER YOU GOT IT OR NOT.  It worked like a charm, I was able to enter my Direct deposit information to get my check to me.  DO NOT put in 2019 information. There is a definite DISCONNECT between TurboTax and IRS.  I thought it was fishy that once I filed my 2019 it IMMEDIATELY told me my return was accepted.  This is NOT true.  There is NO way they had direct and immediate confilability with the IRS.  Also, if you owe the IRS and are entitled to a return, unless they ACTUALLY SENT YOU A REFUND, the IRS DOES NOT HAVE YOUR DD INFORMATION.  Save yourself some aggravation.  Filing your taxes by TurboTax guarantees NOTHING.... Just ask the thousands of people who have NOT received their refunds.... The IRS closed down at the HEIGHT if issuing refunds.... How convenient.  Hope this helps. 

[DDNeedHelp]

@WriteABC 

Thanks for the response! I'm reading the link you sent me, and I'm not sure where to go to check the status?

Although, based on this line: "It can generally take four to six weeks after receipt for a change of address request to fully process," I'm guessing I'm screwed. I sent it about 4 weeks from the time the IRS attempted the direct deposit to my closed bank account, and the situation means they probably haven't gotten to it. Darn.

The information about the banks is comforting, though- it sounds like I'll at least get the check eventually, it just might be a huge headache in the meantime. Wish they would hurry up and open a call center already.

[Mhale629]

Go to IRS.GOV and look for the GET MY PAYMENT button.   Then enter your 2018 address, name, SSN and DOB.  At that point you should get a page that says they need your DD info.  They will then ask you for some info from your 2018 info...it must be exact.  AGI and expected refund amount from 2018....even if you did NOT get the refund because I did not.  I owed the IRS.  I did not know how much I owed in 2018 but I knew how much my return told me I was suppose to get back. If all that info is correct, it should let you put in your Direct deposit info.  Then check back in 2 days to get the date when they will deposit your check.  Hope this helps!  Stay safe and happy!