The IRS says it has already begun processing $1,400 stimulus checks to recipients of programs such as Social Security who do not file taxes.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) confirmed Monday that beneficiaries of government programs such as Social Security and Veterans Affairs who do not file taxes will automatically receive the third $1,400 stimulus check without additional paperwork, with most payments being processed through direct deposit.
“The IRS will automatically send the EIP3 to individuals who did not file a return but receive Social Security retirement, survivor or disability benefits (SSDI), railroad retirement benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Veterans Affairs benefits. This is similar to the first and second rounds of economic impact payments, often referred to as EIP1 and EIP2. Social Security and other federal beneficiaries will generally receive this third payment in the same manner as their regular benefits,” the IRS said in a press release Monday.
The agency did not specify whether the assistance will go to some people on their Direct Express card on which they normally receive their benefits.
However, from the above it appears that this is the most likely scenario. In previous rounds, beneficiaries of government programs have already received payments in this way.
In a tweet last March 19 on the official Twitter account of Direct Express, its operators confirmed the processing of payments for individuals with the card. “The IRS is issuing Economic Impact Payments – also known as stimulus payments – to eligible recipients for the next few weeks.” The entry further urges potential recipients to check the status of the payment using the IRS’s Get My Payment tool.
The agency further indicated that it seeks to process most of these recipients’ payments through direct deposit, and for those purposes, it will examine its recent federal payment records.
“The IRS is working directly with the Social Security Administration, the Railroad Retirement Board and the Veterans Administration to obtain updated 2021 information for recipients to ensure it is sending automatic payments to as many people as possible. More information will be provided on IRS.gov as it becomes available,” the office anticipated.
“Taxpayers with direct deposit information on file with the IRS will receive payment that way. For those without direct deposit information on file with the IRS, the IRS will use federal records of recent payments to or from the government, when available, to make the payment as direct deposit. This helps expedite the delivery of the payment. Otherwise, taxpayers will receive their payment in the form of a check or debit card in the mail,” the IRS said.
This week, the IRS announced the second wave of mailings of the third $1,400 stimulus check with thousands of direct deposits scheduled for release tomorrow, Wednesday, March 24.
Eligible individuals who do not see payments of $1,400 in their accounts by tomorrow should check their mail for the arrival of the paper check or by prepaid debit card (EIP Card) other than Direct Express.