IRS Extends Registration Deadline for Stimulus Check

If you didn’t file a tax return and haven’t received your Economic Impact Payment (stimulus check), you still have time to register.

The Internal Revenue Service has announced that the deadline to register for an Economic Impact Payment (EIP) is now November 21, 2020. This new date will provide an additional five weeks beyond the original deadline.

Millions of Americans have already received their Economic Impact Payments authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). 

You are still eligible to receive the stimulus payment if you didn’t have to file a tax return for 2018 and 2019. You are considered a Non-Filer. You can go to the IRS website for their Interactive Tax Assistant.  If you don’t know if you need to file a tax return, this tool will help you.

There are three main reasons why you wouldn’t need to file a tax return.

• Your income is less than $12,200
• You’re married filing jointly and together your income is less than $24,400
• You have no income

Now the three reasons above are not the only reasons. There are also age restrictions, but the tool linked above will take you through a 20-minute survey to determine if you must file.

If you are a Non-Filer and haven’t received your payment yet, you still have time to register and receive it. Just go to this page, Economic Impact Payment, and choose the “Non-Filers: Enter payment info here” application.  This tool will not be available after November 21, 2020.

"We took this step to provide more time for those who have not yet received a payment to register to get their money, including those in low-income and underserved communities," said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "The IRS is deeply involved in processing and programming that overlaps filing seasons. Any further extension beyond November would adversely impact our work on the 2020 and 2021 filing seasons. The Non-Filers portal has been available since the spring and has been used successfully by many millions of Americans."

To help spread the word, the IRS sent nearly 9 million letters in September to people who may be eligible for the $1,200 Economic Impact Payments but don't typically file a tax return. This push encourages people to use the Non-Filers tool on IRS.gov.

"Time is running out for those who don't normally file a tax return to get their payments," Rettig added. "Registration is quick and easy, and we urge everyone to share this information to reach as many people before the deadline."

Anyone using the Non-Filers tool can speed the arrival of their payment by choosing to receive it by direct deposit. Those not choosing this option will get a check.

Beginning two weeks after they register, people can track the status of their payment using the Get My Payment tool, available only on IRS.gov.