What to do if you get a Second Economic Stimulus Check
Tip It!On the heels of my earlier post about the possibility of a second round of economic stimulus checks, I though it would be worth pointing out that a handful of people have erroneously received a second tax rebate check from the original economic stimulus package. The IRS has issued a statement saying that:
If a taxpayer receives more than one stimulus payment the erroneous additional payment should be returned to the IRS.
They went on to say that, if the erroneous payment was a paper check, you should write “void” in the endorsement section on the back of the check, attach a note that says you are returning an “erroneous stimulus payment check,” and send it back to the IRS center where you filed your tax return.
If the errant payment was direct deposited, talk to your bank. According to the IRS, they should know the proper procedure for sending it back.
Confused? Just wait, it gets better…
In some cases, a second stimulus payment won’t be a mistake. The IRS will be mailing out about 350,000 additional checks starting in July to taxpayers whose original stimulus payment did not include a payment for their eligible child. The correct checks will be mailed automatically, so there’s supposedly no need to call or otherwise take action to get the additional payment (assuming you’re entitled to it).
Where is that check, anyway?
If you’re still waiting for your payment, just be patient. As of this week, they’ve only processed about half of the total payments that will be going out. It’s extremely unlikely that your check went to the wrong address. It’s far more likely that they just haven’t gotten to you, perhaps because you’re getting a check when you thought you’d be getting getting your payment via direct deposit. The most common cause of this is somehow splitting your deposit, either by having it sent to multiple accounts, or by have your tax-prep fee deducted from your refund.
Published on June 11th, 2008 - 13 Comments
Filed under: Economy, Taxes
About the author: Nickel is the founder and editor-in-chief of this site. He's a thirty-something family man who has been writing about personal finance since 2005, and guess what? He's on Twitter!
Related articles...
» Second Stimulus Check? Another One Might be on the Way» Second Stimulus Check?
» Tax Stimulus Rebate is Now Law
» Free Filing to Get Your Economic Stimulus Tax Rebate Check
» New Economic Stimulus Package Delayed
» Second Stimulus Check: How Would You Spent It?
» Qualifying for an ‘Economic Stimulus’ Tax Rebate Check
» Haven’t Received Your Tax Stimulus Rebate Yet?
Was this article useful? Please sign up to receive our content via e-mail:
13 Responses to “What to do if you get a Second Economic Stimulus Check”
Leave a Reply
Top Cards by Category
Earn $200 Bonus Cash Back after you make $500 in purchases in your first 3 months. 5% Cash Back on up to $1,500 spent in bonus categories each quarter.
Earn 3X points on airfare, 2X points on gas and groceries, and 1X points on everything else.
Earn up to 20,000 bonus miles with your first purchase 10,000 of which count as Medallion(R) Qualification Miles. Earn up to 5,000 bonus miles when you add two additional cards to your account with initial application.
Earn up to 5% cash back* in categories that change and enjoy a 0% introductory rate for 15 months on Balance Transfers and 15 months on Purchases.
Enjoy no balance transfer fee for a limited time. 0% introductory rate on Balance Transfers and Purchases. Earn up to 5% Cashback Bonus in categories that change like gas, restaurants, department stores and more. Limitations apply*
Enjoy no balance transfer fee for a limited time. 0% introductory rate on Balance Transfers and Purchases. Earn up to 5% Cashback Bonus in categories that change like gas, restaurants, department stores and more. Limitations apply*
Enjoy amenities for you and your business, like: complimentary airport club access, including American Airlines Admirals Club(R) lounges.
5% Cashback Bonus in categories that change like gas, restaurants, department stores and more. Limitations apply*. Up to 1% unlimited Cashback Bonus on everything else. No annual fee
Earn 3X points on airfare, 2X points on gas and groceries, and 1X points on everything else.
Reports to 3 major credit bureaus monthly and acceptance at millions of locations worldwide, including website purchases and reservations.
- How to Become a Millionaire
- How to Get Out of Debt
- The Best Dollars I've Ever Spent
- How Our Estate Plan is Structured
- How We Paid Our Mortgage In Less than 10 Years
- Money Making Ideas
- How to Manage Your Asset Allocation with Multiple Accounts
- Consumption Smoothing - Save While the Saving's Good
- How to Save on Groceries
- How Much Life Insurance Do You Need?
- Eleven Great Books About Money
- Dave Ramsey is Bad at Math
- Dish Network Customer Service SUCKS
- $8,000 Homebuyer Tax Credit
- Pay Off Mortgage Early or Invest?
- How to Claim the First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit
- Reduced Credit Limits? Share Your Experience
- $15,000 Homebuyer Tax Credit
- Ethanol Blended Gas = Lower Mileage?
- Termite Control: Sentricon vs. Termidor
- How Much Should You Pay a Babysitter?
- Federal Income Tax Rates Went Down but Your Federal Tax Withholding Increased. Here's Why...
- Would the "Fair Tax" Gut the Economy?
How to save money on insurance
- Double-Check Your Ally CDs
- Stocks are Not Bonds, CDs, or Savings Accounts
- The Best Values in Colleges - 2012 Edition
- Five Myths About Renter's Insurance
- Own Your Investments, Rent Your Fun
- Citibank to Issue Credit Cards in China
- Heartstrings and Pursestrings
- Saving Money at the Grocery Store: Store Brand Pricing on the Rise
- Missing Tax Paperwork?
- Is Your Investment Allocation Right?
June 11th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
How much money did it cost to just print and mail out these stupid checks? I’ve gotten THREE notices about it, as did my wife. And now they are too inept to send out the correct checks? Ugh.
June 12th, 2008 at 4:58 am
I’ve heard there will be a refund available to reimburse us for the $0.42 postage we have to spend to mail back our erroneously-issued checks. There is a 2-page form that has to filled out in triplicate and mailed via certified mail along with proof that you received your erroneous check (preferably a full-color 8 1/2″ x 11″ copy), a certified copy of the postmarked envelope in which you returned your check, and a one-page authorization for direct deposit of your $0.42 into your bank account. Approximate postage on this will be $3.29. The government is hopeful that this will stimulate the post-office economy.
/sarcasm
June 12th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
Ugh! Thanks for the update. Everyone I know has received theirs … except for us.
June 16th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
I haven’t gotten my rebate check yet. But, wanted to know for those of you who’ve gotten a paper check…what color is the envelope that they send the rebate check…white or brown?
July 25th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
I know four people who has received the second stimulus check. It was the same amount of the first one. This was on July 11, 2008. So who got one the first time will receive one soon. So be patient because it is coming.
August 6th, 2008 at 10:11 am
I haven’t received the first check yet, forget the second one. I guess I will not be getting mine until the rest of you get your 2nd check ! how frustrating
August 7th, 2008 at 8:54 am
Do you have to return the 2nd check or is it yours to keep? I sure need it. I am filing for a divorce.
happy me.
September 17th, 2008 at 7:43 am
so…if im reading this correctly…the people who got their correct ammounts the first time, wont be getting an additional check? ive been hearing from all over that they will be issuing a second round of checks for everyone? im so confused.
November 8th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
When I got my first economic stimulus check I didn’t need it that badly at the time so I donated part of it to Peace Action (www.peace-action.org) that boycotts the U.S. occupation of Iraq and has boycotted the 2003 Second Persian Gulf War in Iraq and wants for U.S. troops to leave there, and Vote Vets.org which agrees in leaving Iraq and wants to re-deploy troops to other locations where they are needed more like Afghanistan where the real war on terror is being waged. With a second economic stimulus check I would save it in the bank now for a rainy day – now I badly need money since I have now become unemployed.
November 13th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
WHY WOULD YOU BAIL OUT A FAILING AUTO BUSINESS WHEN THEY ARE HUNGRY PEOPLE OUT THERE AND SENIORS WHO ARE STRUGGING TO BUY MEDICATION..WE DO NOT NEED MORE CARS SITTING ON LOTS AND ANOTHER THING AIG WAS JUST STUPID!!!!!!!! SEND THE MONEY TO THE PEOPLE WE WILL GET THIS COUNTRY GOING IN A BIG WAY..CHRISTMAS IS COMING ARE THE STIMULAS CHECKS COMING.????
February 18th, 2009 at 9:38 am
I would use my stimulus money to buy a house and get any important things needed for my house and chidren to support the needs of my family.
February 21st, 2009 at 7:35 am
Why should we pay for the rich to stay rich and not give our money back to those of us that really need it? Let the rich take it out of there on account. The workers of America made them now we have to give so they can keep it while we suffer even more. I see why honest hard working people have gone bad. Also get those that get our taxes and don”t deserve it off welfare. I”ve heard some say (I”m just waiting on you to pay your taxes)when there is nothing wrong with them and those that do need it can”t get it. RIGHT IS RIGHT and WRONG IS WRONG.
May 17th, 2009 at 4:11 am
when you I think about everything that is going on in this world,I jus think about how god is frowning and shaking his head on this world,If the government would follow the rules of the bible”the word”,i think we would have it better all year round ,every year…god said give and he also said trust no man….my heart just hurt so much for america,every person is equal and deserve the same, no one is better than nobody else,we all have our faults,that don’t mean we have to be judged for that and can’t nobody judge us but god so that’s all that matter’s…pls keep america andmostly our children in your prayers