Last updated on 2/16/21
Who qualifies for the stimulus check? Would Social Security get the second stimulus check for $600? When will the checks arrive and will you get a second stimulus check if I didn’t file taxes? How about Direct Express cardholders? What if I did not receive a stimulus check? How about the $2,000 second stimulus payment that the Democrats and President Trump Promised? These are some of the questions we have received from our readers regarding the second stimulus package.
We have therefore created the FAQs below to answer the most commonly asked questions about the second round of payments directs $600 from the federal government.
In the questions and answers below, we will cover who is eligible, when the checks will be mailed or deposited into accounts, including when Direct Express cardholders can expect payments.
In addition, we will cover whether those who did not file taxes will be receiving this round of payments.
Finally, we will give you tips on what to do if you did not receive the second stimulus checks for $600.
Click here for the third stimulus check update.
Second Stimulus check for $600 FAQs
Here are the most frequently asked questions about the second round of stimulus checks for $600 recently passed by Congress.
When Was the Second Stimulus Passed?
Congress passed another coronavirus pandemic stimulus relief bill on Dec. 21, 2020, which included another round of checks to individuals and families.
President Trump signed the bill into law on Dec. 27, 2020.
What is the Amount of the Second Round of Stimulus Checks?
The maximum amount an individual who is eligible can receive in the second round of stimulus checks is $600.
For couples who file taxes jointly, the amount is $1200.
Furthermore, each dependent child is eligible for $600.
Therefore, for a family of four, the total amount will be $2,400 – $1,200 for the adults and $1,200 for the eligible dependent.
In comparison, for the first round of stimulus checks in 2020, adults were eligible for $1,200 and dependents were eligible for $500.
Who is Eligible for the Stimulus Checks?
Here’s who is eligible for the second round of checks:
First, individuals who reported adjusted gross income (AGI) of $75,000 or less on their 2019 tax returns will receive the full $600.
For couples filing jointly, the threshold is $150,000 or less AGI.
However, if you are the head of a household, the income limit to get the $600 check is AGI of $112,500 or less.
Second, for people who earned more than those amounts, the size of the check will gradually decrease by $5 for every $100 earned over that threshold.
I Received the First Stimulus Check. Will I Automatically get the Second Stimulus Check?
Not necessarily. Whether you will get the second stimulus check of $600 depends on your taxable income.
If your taxable income increased from 2018 to 2019, you may not be eligible for the second stimulus payment.
Also, because the second stimulus payments phase out at lower income levels, fewer people will qualify for a stimulus check.
When will the Second Stimulus Checks Arrive?
On Dec. 29, the IRS finally sending the second round of stimulus checks.
If the IRS has direct deposit information on file for you, your payment will be received as an ACH transfer to that account.
Many Americans have already started to receive their stimulus payments.
In addition, Direct Express cardholders should be receiving their $600 stimulus payments starting in early January 2021.
However, if the IRS does not have your direct deposit information on file, your payment will be mailed as a check or debit card.
The debit card is called the Economic Impact Payment Card.
It is issued by MetaBank, N.A., and the Treasury Department seal will be prominently displayed on the envelope.
Finally, if you did not receive a second stimulus check, see our post on the 5 reasons why.
Will Dependent Children get the Second Stimulus?
Yes. Qualifying children will receive an additional $600 per child (up from $500 in the CARES Act).
Furthermore, eligible dependent children will receive the full stimulus payment amount of $600.
However, children claimed as dependents who are 17 and older are not eligible for the second stimulus child payment.
What about Social Security recipients?
Social Security beneficiaries will not need to take any additional steps to receive the second stimulus payment.
If you receive Social Security, SSDI, SSI, VA, and other federally run benefits, your stimulus payments will automatically be deposited into your account.
This includes beneficiaries who receive their payments through the Direct Express debit card.
What if I didn’t file a 2019 tax return?
Some people didn’t file a tax return for the 2019 tax year because their income didn’t reach the filing requirement threshold.
If that is you and you are on Social Security benefits, here’s what you need to know:
The IRS will get your information from the Social Security Administration (SSA).
They will then use the information collected from the SSA to calculate the amount of your second stimulus check.
However, even if you don’t get a check now, you’ll just have to wait until you file your 2020 tax return to get it.
Can creditors take my second stimulus check if I owe back taxes, child support, or other debts?
Your second stimulus check is not subject to reduction or offset to pay back taxes, child support, or other debts owed to the federal or a state government.
However, If you owed child support, the IRS is authorized to use your first-round stimulus check money to pay the money owed.
In addition, second-round stimulus checks aren’t subject to garnishment by creditors or debt collectors.
The IRS specifically encodes direct deposit payments from the stimulus so that banks know they cannot be garnished.
Furthermore, your second round of stimulus checks cannot be lost in bankruptcy proceedings, either.
I did not get the first Stimulus Check. What can I do?
You can file a claim with the IRS for the first stimulus check. However, the deadline to file that claim was November 21, 2020.
Since the deadline has passed, you’ll now need to wait until tax season in 2021 to register for a payment from the IRS.
How about the $2,000 Second Stimulus payment that the Democrats and President Trump Promised?
The Democrats in the House and Senate have been pushing for $2,000 stimulus payments for months.
There was even a bill in the Senate that proposed making the $2,000 payments monthly and retroactive.
However, there has been resistance from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnel.
After the $600 second stimulus payment was passed, President Trump got behind the idea of the $2,000 stimulus payment.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi agreed and promised a vote in the House.
The House of Representatives voted on December 28th to provide the $2,000 stimulus payments.
The bill then moved to the Senate.
However, after several days of debate, the Senate failed to vote on the $2,000 payment.
No one is sure what will happen next.
There is a runoff election in Georgia on Jan. 5 to determine Senate control.
In addition, President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration set to take place Jan. 20.
It appears nothing will happen on the $2,000 stimulus bill until after Biden is sworn in and control of the Senate is decided.
Second Stimulus check for $600 Summary
Here’s the bottom line:
The IRS started sending the $600 stimulus checks beginning in early December 29, 2020.
If you received a Direct Deposit of your first stimulus check, then you should be getting your $600 soon, if you have not received it already.
In addition, Direct Express cardholders should be receiving their $600 stimulus payments starting in early January.
Questions?
We hope this post on the Second Stimulus check for $600 was helpful.
If you have further questions about Social Security or Disability benefits, please let us know in the comments section below.
Be sure to check out our other articles on Social Security and Direct Express, including Questions about Second Stimulus Check, Social Security Stimulus Check Update, Direct Express Stimulus Check, and Replacement Social Security card online.