Nearly 700,000 ‘plus-up’ stimulus checks in latest wave; what to do if yours is missing

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Among the nearly two million stimulus check payments sent out in the latest batch there were almost 700,000 “plus-up” payments.

The Internal Revenue Service announced Thursday that the total value of the so-called “plus-up” stimulus checks was nearly $1.2 billion. The supplemental checks went to people who were owed more under the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan based on their 2020 tax information.

Payments began processing on Friday, April 16 with an official payment date of April 21, but some Americans may have seen pending deposits in their accounts earlier in the week.

How can I get my missing stimulus check?

Individuals can check the Get My Payment tool on the IRS website to see the status of their stimulus or plus-up payments.

But if you’re still missing any of the stimulus checks sent out during the pandemic, the IRS suggests claiming the money on your tax return.

Thanks to a delayed filing deadline of May 17, there is more time than there normally would be, but the clock is ticking.

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Not only can filing ensure that you receive your full stimulus check amount, but it will also enable the government to pay you any other benefits owed such as the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit, the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit.

Who is receiving the latest batch of stimulus checks?

This, the sixth round of stimulus checks, saw roughly $1.3 billion in $1,400 stimulus checks go out to qualifying people whose information the IRS didn’t have when previous batches of stimulus checks went out.

It also offered the plus-up, or supplemental payments, to those who previously received partial stimulus payments but can now demonstrate they were eligible for more. The plus-up payments also ensure that early filers whose 2020 tax returns make them, or their dependents, eligible for stimulus money get their payments.

“These ‘plus-up’ payments could include a situation where a person’s income dropped in 2020 compared to 2019, or a person had a new child or dependent on their 2020 tax return, and other situations,” the IRS said in a statement announcing the payments.

For instance, someone who filed individually and made $150,000 in 2019 would not have been eligible for a stimulus check during the pandemic because the salary would have exceeded requirements. If that person lost her job at the start of the pandemic and made less than $60,000 over the course of 2020, less than the $75,000 ceiling for individuals, she would be eligible for a plus-up payment after filing her 2020 taxes. If she had a child during that same year, there would be a plus-up stimulus payment for her new dependent as well.

The IRS says that it will continue to distribute stimulus checks on a weekly basis as needed.