The IRS has insisted there are no problems with the delivery of the $1,200 stimulus checks, while thousands of Americans claim they are being sent to the wrong accounts and say banks are pocketing the much-needed funds if they are overdrawn.
Parents of young children have reported missing out on the $500 check for their dependent children and Americans who use popular online tax preparation services such as H&R Block, TurboTax and Jackson Hewitt say they have been left out of the payment run.
The latest fiasco in the emergency coronavirus payments comes after the system went into meltdown yesterday – the day the first Americans started receiving their checks and the online portal launched.
Desperate taxpayers voiced outrage as the website kept crashing, many were told they may not be eligible for a dime and bereaved relatives were traumatized by blunders that meant checks were sent to people who have been dead for years, while thousands in dire need of money received nothing.
Desperate Americans took to social media to complain after their much-needed $1,200 stimulus checks have been sent to the wrong accounts
But amid the ongoing saga, the IRS has continued to insist there are no problems with the process, congratulating itself on Twitter that the payments have been made ‘on schedule, as planned and without delay’.
Thousands of people have now discovered that their deposits have been sent to the wrong bank accounts.
Americans expecting the financial boost on Wednesday were left confused as their bank accounts lay empty.
When they checked the online portal, many found the cash was sent to a bank account that doesn’t belong to them.
Aimme Saldana, a warehouse worker in California, told USA Today that the digits of the bank account her money has been sent to do not match any account she owns.
‘I was so confused,’ she said. ‘I don’t know where they got that number from. I lost two weeks of pay because I was sick. I was depending on that for my car payment.’
Chris Rodriguez, a contractor in Michigan, said he was baffled to discover the same mistake was made with his payment, given he has been using the same bank account for almost a decade.
‘You’re jubilant because you’ve been waiting to get that money. And you look down and the bank account number is not even close,’ Rodriguez told USA Today.
‘Because the IRS isn’t taking calls, I’m more or less dead in the water.’
Social media has been flooded with similar reports, as the mistake could prove costly for the millions of Americans out of work amid the pandemic.
New figures from the Labor Department Thursday showed another 5.2 million people filed for first-time unemployment claims in the last week ending April 11 meaning a staggering 22 million people are now out of work due to the coronavirus pandemic.
One distraught taxpayer posted on social media: ‘great my stimulus check got sent to the wrong bank account I cannot find any information on how to even talk to the IRS about this issue now it looks like I’m just s*** out of luck great I really needed this money.’
Another simply Tweeted: ‘@ the irs sent my stimulus check to the wrong bank account… mental breakdown.’
On Wednesday the first Americans started receiving their checks and the online portal launched but the system has been plagued with issues at a time when Americans are in desperate need of money
‘The @irs sent my boyfriends stimulus check to the WRONG bank account number. When we FINALLY got ahold of someone at the irs, they literally that there is no one trained on handling stimulus information. Let’s see if @RepDLambornoffice can help?,’ posted another.
Social media users are blasting the IRS urging the agency to come clean that the system has fallen into chaos.
‘The IRS is sending Stimulus Checks to the wrong bank accounts and people who are Dead! My 70 year old Father is receiving Social Security benefits by Direct Deposit! NO PENDING TRANSACTIONS! Why doesn’t the IRS just admit it! We F***ed Up !!’ one person Tweeted.
However, despite the agency being inundated with tweets about the issue, an IRS spokesperson told USA TODAY they hadn’t heard anything about stimulus checks being deposited into the wrong bank accounts.
In a Twitter post on Wednesday afternoon, the agency even congratulated itself over the service, triggering a backlash from outraged taxpayers.
‘Thanks to hard work and long hours by dedicated #IRS employees, Economic Impact Payments are going out on schedule, as planned, without delay, to the nation. The IRS employees are delivering these payments in record time. #COVIDreliefIRS,’ the post read.
The IRS did not immediately return DailyMail.com’s request for comment.
Concerning reports have also surfaced that some banks are pocketing the emergency money if customer accounts are overdrawn.
Some banks are putting the $1,200 deposits toward negative balances in customer accounts, meaning already broke taxpayers are still left without a dime, the New York Times reported Thursday.
One Minneapolis woman told the Times that the $2,400 check sent to her and her disabled veteran husband – that they desperately need to pay rent and feed their infant daughter – had disappeared because their USAA account was overdrawn.
In South Carolina, Safe Federal Credit Union kept the entire $1,200 stimulus payment sent to one man because his account was $2,650 in the red.
Concerning reports have also surfaced that some banks are pocketing the emergency money if customer accounts are overdrawn
Democrat candidate for Texas Mike Siegel blasted the process on social media, as banks are being propped up by the emergency funds meant to help the American public.
‘Absolutely obscene. A violation of every ounce of trust the people have in Congress. This money is for food, medicine, housing. The essentials of life,’ he Tweeted.
‘If private banks want to collect debts from our stimulus checks, we need to rethink banking.’
One social media user said: ‘So it’s yet another corporate bail out. Great.’
Another person posted: ‘Banks win again: those $1,200 checks heading to your account? Banks can siphon off any amount you might owe them.’
Americans reportedly have no legal right to demand the money back from their banks, The American Prospect reported this week, marking a major blow for many households that lost their jobs almost a month ago when states began going into lockdown.
The first lockdown was issued on March 20 in California, meaning people impacted by the first bout of layoffs have already waited almost a month for federal aid to kick in – no doubt racking up debt and becoming overdrawn on their bank accounts in the process.
The three banking giants JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo and Bank of America have all publicly pledged that they will not collect the money for negative balances.
Parents of dependent children are also out of pocket because the IRS has missed off the $500 payments designed for every child under 17, according to the Washington Post.
Despite the series of blunders the IRS continues to insist that there are no problems and even congratulated itself over the service
Several parents say they received a $1,200 payment for a single head of household or a $2,400 check for a couple but have not been given the $500 promised for each child.
Meanwhile, experts and social media users have spotted a worrying trend among the several million people across the US who file their taxes using popular online services including H&R Block, TurboTax and Jackson Hewitt.
Customers raised the alarm on social media that the payments they were expecting Wednesday did not materialize, raising growing fears that they will face hefty delays because the IRS does not have their direct deposit information on file.
Consumer law expert Vijay Raghavan told the Post that the IRS does not have these people’s direct deposit information on file if they received an advance on their tax refund from these service companies.
This could impact around 21 million taxpayers, he warned.
IRS and Treasury officials told The Post they were aware of the issues and were working to fix them.
The latest issues come hot on the heels of a series of complaints raised Wednesday – the day the payments began being deposited in American’s accounts and the IRS’s online tool launch to help Americans track their checks launched.
A sample check is pictured: The federal aid package for Americans has been plagued with issues over the last 24 hours
Hundreds of stimulus checks are sent to people who have been dead for years
While Americans on the breadline reported their bank accounts still sitting empty, hundreds of people on social media spoke out about checks being paid into dead relatives accounts.
‘Deceased people are receiving stimulus checks today. My grandmother passed away in 2018 — and $1,200 was deposited in her bank account today,’ one person posted on Twitter Wednesday.
US Representative Thomas Massie posted a photo of a text from a friend which read: ‘Dad got his stimulus check of $1200. He died in [redacted] 2018. Does he have to spend it online?’
In at least two cases in South Carolina, the IRS sent checks to people who died months ago.
People have spoken out on social media about checks being paid into dead relatives accounts
Two separate bereaved relatives told Fits News that checks had arrived for their dead family members.
‘My father-in-law died just before Christmas last year,’ one person said, noting that the man’s bank account had received the $1,200 boost from the government.
Meanwhile, one woman said a check had landed into her mother’s account – who died around Thanksgiving.
‘I can’t believe all deceased people would get a check!’ she told Fit News.
Widows and widowers are reporting payments for two checks – one for them and one for their deceased partners.
Alongside the emotional toll that the blunder is taking, questions are being asked over whether they have to return the payments.
‘My mom got two stimulus checks (one for her the other for my dad who is deceased). He passed in 2018 and she hasn’t filed single yet on 2019’s taxes. Long story short, does she have to give that extra $1200 back?’ one person Tweeted.
Online tracker crashed within hours of launch and taxpayers get error message raising fears they have been incorrectly missed off payments or deemed ineligible
Frustrated taxpayers took to social media Wednesday to blast the highly-anticipated tracker, reporting that the site was crashing or telling them that it couldn’t find their details.
The online tracker Get My Payment was finally launched Wednesday but taxpayers cited a series of glitches with the tool.
Several social media posts complained of the site crashing as they tried to find out when they will receive the cash injection.
‘The IRS ‘Get my Payment’ site keeps going down for technical difficulty,’ one person posted on Twitter, adding that there was ‘no way to contact IRS on the site’.
Other Twitter users said they had managed to access the site and fill in their details but the tool then could find no information about their checks.
Several complained that they are getting a message saying: ‘Payment Status Not Available. According to information that we have on file, we cannot determine your eligibility for a payment at this time.’
The message has sparked mounting concerns that some people have been missed out of the stimulus package or may have been incorrectly deemed ineligible.
One person Tweeted: ‘Did anyone else NOT get their #Stimulusdeposit and then receive this message when they checked they status on the IRS site?’
Many people responded to the Tweet saying they have faced the same issue.
Others told how the site has crashed under the demand but there is no other way of contacting the IRS
The Internal Revenue Service’s online tool set up so that hard-hit Americans can track their much-needed stimulus checks has gone into meltdown just hours after it launched, with several getting a message saying: ‘Payment Status Not Available’
‘Same here and I just got my small 2019 tax refund yesterday deposited in my bank acct as I am single, make way below the guideline, just deposited my 2019 refund into my bank acct so wtf!!!,’ one person posted.
Another told how she had been out of work for weeks and was left in tears over fears she is not receiving the check and still has no money.
‘Same!! WTH? I cried and cried. I’ve been out of work and out of money for weeks already. I don’t understand. I should qualify too,’ they Tweeted.
Another person slammed the tool a ‘joke’.
‘Yo @IRSnews your get my payment site is a joke,’ they Tweeted.
‘Don’t launch something that’s not going to work for 95% of the people trying to use it.’
One person Tweeted: ‘Hey @IRS and @realDonaldTrump gimme my money u clowns.’
The message has sparked mounting concerns that some people have been missed out of the stimulus package or may have been incorrectly deemed ineligible
People in most need miss out on first payments while President Trump reportedly delays handouts so he can get his name printed on checks
People in desperate need of the funds have also slammed the system over when the checks are paid, after they have been missed out of the first payment run.
One person Tweeted that they have not received their check despite losing their job while people still in paid employment have been among the first to get them.
‘Everyone I know who still has a well-paying job received their stimulus check today. Meanwhile, I haven’t worked in an entire month and this is what the government has for me. #Stimulusdeposit #Stimuluscheck #IRSDirectDeposit,’ they posted.
One user simply said: ‘Me checking my bank account for the 100th time seeing that it still ain’t been stimulated #Stimulusdeposit’ alongside a meme of a fist-shaking.
Some luckier people told how they have seen the payments hit their accounts.
‘I got my Democratic Party stimulus today. Thanks to all the Democrats who stood up for us to make sure we got something. We appreciate your hard work! #Stimulusdeposit #Stimuluscheck Keep working hard for the people!,’ one happy person Tweeted.
But even some of the people who have received payments have complained that the value has been incorrectly calculated.
However, as well as the reported technical issues with the online portal, millions are also allegedly facing delays due to the president’s insistence his name is branded on the checks.
People in desperate need of the funds have also slammed the system over when the checks are paid, after they have been missed out of the first payment run
Some luckier people have started receiving their payments but there are claims that the payments have been incorrectly calculated
Citing administration officials, the Washington Post reported earlier this week that the Treasury Department has ordered Trump’s name be printed on the checks, slowing their delivery by several days.
The president had reportedly first privately suggested to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who oversees the IRS, that he formally sign the checks.
But the president is not an authorized signer for legal disbursements by the Treasury and so the request was denied.
Instead, the checks will carry the signature of an official with the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, the Treasury Department division that prints the checks, and Trump’s name will be printed on them.
The report drew allegations that Trump is trying to use the stimulus checks to boost his re-election bid, by giving voters the impression that he is personally responsible for the relief payments.
The White House and the Treasury Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Many Americans may also face delays after it emerged that President Trump has ordered his name to be printed on the checks, slowing delivery by days. Trump is pictured signing the $2.2 trillion stimulus package providing for the payments on March 27
Where’s my check?
To track the stimulus payments, the IRS made its tracking tool available on Wednesday.
Users must enter a Social Security number, date of birth and mailing address in order to track their payment.
The site will respond with a payment status, type and requests for more information, including bank account details, if needed.
Americans who filed their 2018 and 2019 taxes, as well as the lowest earners, should be among the first to receive their checks, the IRS has said, reports CNN.
People who haven’t been required to file a return for those two years will likely have to enter additional information online.
Social Security recipients will also receive their payments first.
Aside from the potential for delays because of the president’s request to have his signature on the checks, millions of Americans also may not see their payment sooner because they didn’t authorize direct deposit.
The Treasury has set up its own new web portal, where updated information can be entered.
To track the stimulus payments, the IRS made its tracking tool available on Wednesday
What else can I do if I don’t get my check
The Get My Payment tool will allow taxpayers to input their bank account information so they can receive their payment electronically, as opposed to a paper check that might take weeks, or even months.
Low-income earners who did not make more than $12,200 last year or married couples who did not earn more than $24,400, and who do not normally file tax returns will have to take several actions to get their payments.
Most will be able to provide the required information with the new online tool, which is very ‘very straightforward, and likely much faster, than requiring non-filers to fill out and submit a tax form,’ Erica York, an economist at the Tax Foundation, tells CNN.
Alerting those persons is the challenge, especially for those who do not have access to the internet, she said.
Source: dailymail US
