Millions of Americans haven’t claimed stimulus checks, IRS says
The IRS says an estimated 9 million American citizens have not claimed their coronavirus stimulus checks.
The Internal Revenue Service says it will begin issuing letters to roughly nine million Americans who may be eligible for an unclaimed stimulus check.
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Receiving a notification by mail does not guarantee a stimulus check, however, people who are sent the letter are encouraged to explore their options. According to the official statement, the IRS is recommending recipients register at IRS.gov by October 15 in order to receive their payment by the end of the year.
“The IRS has made an unprecedented outreach effort to make sure people are aware of their potential eligibility for an Economic Impact Payment this year,” IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig said in the statement.
“Millions who don’t normally file a tax return have already registered and received a payment. We are taking this extra step to help Americans who may not know they could be eligible for this payment or don’t know how to register for one. People who aren’t required to file a tax return can quickly register on IRS.gov and still get their money this year.”
In April, theGrio reported that taxpayers began receiving stimulus checks to aid them financially through the coronavirus pandemic. Eligible families were given between $1200 and $3400 in a one-time payment.
People who make less than $75K per year were eligible for $1,200 while individuals making more than $75K would receive $5 less for every $100 made over the 75K. Families earning less than $150K in salary were given $2,400 and $500 per child for up to four children per household.
As the coronavirus pandemic continues, the federal government has not yet issued citizens more financial aid. TheGrio reports negotiations and debates for the approval of a second stimulus package began in July. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin hoped to move swiftly according to the report.
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Still, Americans await a second stimulus check. According to CNBC, the Senate failed to pass a Republican coronavirus stimulus plan, not receiving the necessary 60 votes, with a split of 52-47. The outlet reports all Senate Democrats who were present and one Republican, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, voted against the bill.
