IRS says more stimulus checks will land on March 24

The IRS has an update for people who are eager to receive their third federal stimulus check: More payments will land on March 24. 

The tax agency didn’t say how many payments it plans to issue on Wednesday. Last week, the IRS deposited about 90 million checks via direct deposit and mailed another 150,000 checks to people for whom it didn’t have banking information. Earlier this month, IRS and Treasury officials said they planned to send about 100 million payments within the first 10 days of distribution for the third round of stimulus payments, which were authorized under the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan. 

The latest round of checks will provide relief to millions of people who continue to struggle with income losses a year after the coronavirus pandemic shuttered the U.S. economy. Some people, including those on Social Security or disability, have expressed concern to CBS MoneyWatch that they haven’t yet received their stimulus payments, which amount to $1,400 for each eligible adult and dependent. 

The IRS said it is “working directly” with the Social Security Administration, Railroad Retirement Board and Veterans Administration to get updated information for people who receive benefits from those agencies, but it didn’t provide details on when the payments might arrive. 

The IRS and Treasury didn’t immediately return requests for comment. 

“More information about when these payments will be made will be provided on IRS.gov as soon as it becomes available,” the IRS said in a statement on Monday. 

Meanwhile, older Americans are asking lawmakers about the holdup, with some saying on social media that they felt as if their needs and concerns were being ignored. 

In its statement, the IRS said more stimulus payments began processing on Friday, but will have an official pay date of Wednesday, March 24. Some people may see the payments in their accounts earlier, appearing as provisional or pending payments. 

But a “large number” of the payments will be mailed, which means that people who don’t receive a direct deposit should keep their eyes open for a paper check or a prepaid debit card in the mail, the IRS said.

Social Security delays?

The frustration expressed by Social Security recipients about delays in getting their checks echoes the issues some experienced in the first round of checks. In that case, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act, directed $1,200 to eligible adults, including senior citizens. 

Last spring, some seniors waited a month or longer for their checks, while also struggling to get information from the IRS “Get My Payment” website about when they might receive their payments. 

The “Get My Payment” tool is again proving frustrating for some consumers, given that it doesn’t allow most people to update their banking information or addresses. The site also doesn’t provide clear information for some people, such as in the case of the “Payment Status Not Available” message.

That can mean either that the IRS hasn’t processed an individual’s payment, or that those people aren’t eligible for checks — a wide range of potential outcomes for which the site doesn’t provide much information. It also doesn’t help people who are eager to learn when their payments might arrive.