While the money will be issued as early as next week for Americans who filed 2018 or 2019 tax returns and gave their Direct Deposit information to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in order to get a refund, on Friday the federal agency released a website that allows those who have not filed a return or have not provided banking information to the IRS to enter information in order to receive their check in a quicker manner than via the postal service.
Here are the steps to access the website and enter your information.
To start, individuals who need to utilize the website can access it by visiting the IRS website, and clicking a link on that page for ’non-filers.’ From there, users will be sent to a Free Fillable Forms website. To use this website, users must a U.S. citizen or permanent resident with a gross income below $12,000 ($24,000 for married couples) and were not required to file a federal income tax return.
On the Free Fillable Forms site, users will be prompted to enter personal and financial information. The first step is to make an account using an email address, and a phone number. It will also require the user to create a username and password.
Users will then be directed to a new screen where they can input their filing status, either single or married, as well as some other personal information.
Next, users must make sure to have a valid Social Security number to enter. If you are married, you must also have your spouse’s valid Social Security number on hand. For each dependent, you must have a valid Social Security number or an Adoption Taxpayer Identification Number.
If someone can claim either you or your spouse as a dependent, there is a box to check on the forms to indicate that.
Following this, users will be asked to enter their banking information, including a routing and account number, as well as if the account is a checking or savings.
After entering all of this information, users will be directed to another screen where they will be prompted to enter additional personal information. This information includes entering your 2018 Adjusted Gross Income. For those who have not recently filed a tax return, they are told to enter a zero in in the Taxpayer AGI space.
Users will then be asked to create a 5-digit PIN followed by inputting driver’s license information, including the ID number, the ID state, issue date and expiration date. According to the IRS website, those who do not have a driver’s license are instructed to leave this section blank.
As many U.S. residents are interested in finding out when they will receive their stimulus checks, the IRS is in the process of building a new tool called “Get My Payment,” where users will be allowed to track their checks. The tool is expected to be rolled out on April 17 and will provide the status of a payment as well as a date when their stimulus check is scheduled to be deposited into a bank account or sent via mail.
