STIMULUS CHECK

At KPRC 2, we’re dedicated to keeping Houstonians informed. As part of our Ask 2 series, the newsroom will answer your questions about all things Houston.

Officials at the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service said Friday, March 12, 2021 that processing the new round of stimulus payments has already begun, with the aim of having the first payments start showing up in bank accounts this weekend. Question: Who do I contact if I haven’t received my stimulus check? Answer: If you are expecting a stimulus check by direct deposit, check the IRS Get My Payment tool on the status of your check. You can also conduct a payment trace by calling the IRS Payment Trace tool at 800-919-9835 or fill out IRS Form 3133. Keep in mind any changes such as direct deposit information, as the IRS is using both 2019 and 2020 tax information to send out stimulus checks.

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HOUSTON – House Democrats released more details about their COVID-19 relief bill and its $1,400 stimulus checks. This comes after President Joe Biden announced a $1.9 trillion stimulus package, which local analysts say will help people and the economy. University of Houston’s Economics Department Chair and professor Dietrich Vollrath said the $1.9 trillion stimulus package is appropriately sized. When asked if the stimulus package would help people and help the economy, Vollrath put it bluntly. “This is like money coming to the rescue to save the economy,” Fernandez said.

President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the economy in the State Dining Room of the White House, Friday, Jan. 22, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)(AP) – As you take a closer look at your financial footing amid the headwinds of a pandemic, it’s an excellent time to examine the possible impact of a Joe Biden presidency on money matters. “In February, we expect that there’s going to be a COVID-specific relief package,” Yaros says. “In a Senate where Democrats have the slimmest majority possible, any one Democratic senator effectively has a veto. The idea proposed by the Biden administration is to offer a tax credit to low- and moderate-income workers, resulting in an equal tax benefit.

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WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump says he has instructed aides to stop negotiating on a coronavirus aid plan until after the election, roiling stock markets hoping for an economic boost for hard-hit industries such as the airlines. Trump, who has the coronavirus himself, tweeted Tuesday that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was not negotiating in good faith. The Democratic-led House passed a $2.2 trillion relief bill last week. The White House said at the time that it had raised the price tag on its own proposal to $1.6 trillion. But bridging that difference has proved difficult.

HOUSTON – Montgomery County is accepting applications for financial relief from residents who are badly affected by the coronavirus pandemic, the county announced Tuesday. In early June, Montgomery County Commissioners approved the plan to allot $65 million towards providing residents with economic relief during the pandemic. The program is available for residents “of any income level who meet certain criteria.”Residents may apply for financial assistance through Sept. 15 (or until funds run out) and the assistance will be capped at $2,500 per household, officials said. As of Wednesday morning, more than 9,000 applicants had submitted an interest in applying for the program, a Montgomery County official said. If you would like to apply, you can do so on the Montgomery County website.

(CNN) There are about 12 million low-income people who are at risk of missing out on the federal government's stimulus payment program because they don't have to file taxes, according to an estimate from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. More than 4 million people have used the non-filer tool to get payments so far, according to the House Ways and Means Committee. On June 3, the IRS said it had sent money to all eligible Americans for whom it had the necessary information, totaling 159 million payments worth $267 billion. Most were directly deposited into people's bank accounts, but about 35 million people were sent paper checks and another 4 million were sent pre-paid debit cards in the mail. But the Ways and Means Committee has estimated that there are about 30 to 35 million payments that still need to be made.

Important question: Have you gotten your stimulus check yet? In fact, most people don’t need to take any action, and will automatically receive the payment. Let’s talk through the tools available to investigate what might be holding up your check, prepaid debit card or direct deposit. You’re eligible for the Economic Impact Payment, right? Here’s a detailed list you should triple-check just to make sure you’re eligible for the payment, and see how much you should receive.

But there are qualified people still waiting for their stimulus money. According to Channel 2 Consumer Investigator Bill Spencer, here are four things you can do that might help you get your stimulus money faster:Sign up for the stimulus programIf you haven’t already, go to the IRS payment portal and see if you qualify for a payment. Make sure you use direct depositIf you have a bank account, make sure you choose direct deposit for your payment. You’re more likely to get your money faster than having a check sent in the mail. 2nd District - Rep. Dan Crenshaw7th District - Rep. Lizzie Fletcher8th District - Rep. Kevin Brady9th District - Rep. Al Green10th District - Rep. Mike McCaul14th District - Rep. Randy Weber18th District - Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee22nd District - Rep. Pete Olson29th District - Rep. Sylvia Garcia36th District - Rep. Brian Babin

(CNN) – Nursing homes have no claim to their residents' stimulus checks. The Federal Trade Commission reported that that nursing homes in several states are requesting residents sign over their stimulus checks. Here's why: The stimulus checks are considered tax credits per the CARES Act, which is providing economic relief to people and businesses. And if you're not sure whether you're being swindled, the FTC has a resource to identify common coronavirus scams. Some links may contain malware that can steal the user’s private information so scammers could claim their checks.

HOUSTON – Thousands of people have signed a petition demanding answers from the Internal Revenue Service about the status of their stimulus payment. Cindy signed up that day and the site told her she would have a payment date 11 days later. So far, nearly 6,000 people have signed and Mailloux has now started at Forgotten 15thers Facebook page. On Friday, the IRS issued a deadline of May 13 at noon to upload bank account information for direct deposit of stimulus money. After that date all stimulus money will be paid with a check sent by mail.

That means the Internal Revenue Service didn't know her bank account number, shutting her out of the first round of payments. In some cases, families have received money for deceased relatives This can happen when someone has died since filing their 2018 or 2019 tax return. Some people have told CNN that the money was sent to closed bank accounts -- and that the bank transferred the money back to the IRS. Then, there are millions of low-income people who are not normally required to file tax returns that will have to take some action before receiving their stimulus money. The tool allows you to input bank account information for a direct deposit, or an address to receive a paper check.

A man from Illinois is suing President Donald Trump for denying stimulus payments to American citizens who are married to immigrants who don’t have social security numbers, Fox 10 reports. The plaintiff, named in the class-action lawsuit under the alias “John Doe,” and his spouse reportedly file their tax returns jointly. The couple, who have two children who are also American citizens, would have received $3,400, as long as both their child are younger than 17-years-old. According to Fox 10, the suit claims that the plaintiff and other Americans married to immigrants have been discriminated against. For married couples who file jointly, their income must be less than $99,000.

Several American taxpayers have received their stimulus check via direct deposit from the federal government. #IRS deposited the first Economic Impact Payments into taxpayers’ bank accounts today. According to the report, the official said the U.S. Department of the Treasury is transmitting payments to the Federal Reserve for distribution to financial institutions to be deposited into Americans’ bank accounts. By the middle of the week, tens of millions of Americans who qualified for aid will have received their payment from the federal government. The first batch of recipients will be those who filed their taxes in 2018 or 2019 and received a refund via direct deposit, the official explained to Fox News.

Postal Service offers a free service that can help. If you get a picture of an IRS envelope, you know it is likely your stimulus check. If their Informed Delivery notification shows you only received junk mail, there’s no need to go out and pick it up. Once you sign up, the USPS says it typically takes about three business days to start receiving those notification emails. Not every address is eligible for Informed Delivery.

HOUSTON – If you are one of 10 million Americans, who are not required to file an income tax because you didn't earn enough, there is a new way to sign up for a stimulus check. TurboTax partnered with the IRS to create the stimulus registration webpage, which debuted Saturday. Americans can submit their current direct deposit information or mailing address to the site. The IRS is expected to begin sending direct deposit payments as early as April 9. If you are a social security recipient, you will receive your stimulus money the same way you receive your benefits.

HOUSTON – Elizabeth Swift Copeland did something Wednesday she hasn’t done in over 30 years of owning a business—apply for a loan. “I just hope the government will act quickly and respond to my application for a loan,” said Swift Copeland. “We need money fast,” said Swift Copeland. “I mean for small business; timing is everything. He believes the federal government should mandate banks to delay payments to small businesses hurt by the coronavirus.