In the first round of payments, some recipients mistakenly discarded prepaid debit cards with the stimulus check. Americans eligible for the second round of stimulus payments who do not receive the money by direct deposit in the next few days until the following week should watch out for postal correspondence as the money will be sent to them as a paper check or in the form of a debit card.
Although the Treasury Department has not specified who will receive the plastic payment and who will receive the paper payment, the agency has indicated that it will send a limited number of debit card payments through the Bureau of Internal Revenue.
Although preliminary reports indicated that recipients will receive the second payment in the same manner as the first was sent under the CARES Act, new data provided by the IRS indicate that, as part of the ongoing process, the strategy may change.
” Note that the second mailing of the EIP (Economic Impact Payment) may be different from the first EIP sent by mail. Some people who received a paper check last time may receive a debit card this time, and some people who received a debit card last time may receive a paper check,” reads the IRS release issued Tuesday.
First direct deposits from the stimulus check
Yesterday, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced the processing of the first stimulus checks under the Supplemental Appropriations Response and Coronavirus Relief Act of 2021 by direct deposit. Along with the bank account deposits, the first paper checks began being sent Wednesday. The distribution process will extend at least until January 15.
In the case of the first round, government authorities sent some 4 million people prepaid debit cards. However, contrary to expectations, this method of payment complicated the disposition of the money by the recipients to the point that thousands threw away the correspondence on the card because they thought it was junk or fraudulent mail.
Debit cards with Treasury identification
In this second round, debit cards will be sent in white envelopes bearing the Treasury Department seal.
For those who do not receive a direct deposit in early January, they should look in their mailbox for a check or debit card. To expedite the delivery of payments and reach as many people as possible, the Bureau of Fiscal Service, which is part of the Department of the Treasury, will be sending a limited number of debit card payments. Please note that the second mailing of the EIP may be different from the first mailing. Some people who received a paper check last time may receive a debit card this time, and some people who received a debit card last time may receive a paper check.
“The Economic Impact Payment card will be sent in a white envelope that shows the U.S. Treasury Department seal. The front of the card has Visa’s name on it and the back says the card is issued by the bank, MetaBank®, N.A. The information included with the card explains that this is your Economic Impact Payment. More information about these cards is available at EIPcard.com.