If you haven’t received a stimulus check yet, the IRS has extended the deadline to register by five weeks.
The Internal Revenue Service announced Monday the new deadline to register for an Economic Impact Payment is Nov. 21, a move from Oct. 15.
“We took this step to provide more time for those who have not yet received a payment to register to get their money, including those in low-income and underserved communities,” IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig said in a news release.
The extended deadline is for those who don’t typically file a tax return, which includes millions of people, many living on limited incomes, who have yet to get their hands on money that could help pay the rent, cover grocery bills, handle car repairs and pay for other essentials.
How many people haven’t received those payments yet is debatable. The IRS and the Department of Treasury do not know how many eligible people have yet to receive a stimulus payment, according to a recent report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office.
“The IRS is deeply involved in processing and programming that overlaps filing seasons,” Rettig said. “Any further extension beyond November would adversely impact our work on the 2020 and 2021 filing seasons. The Non-filers portal has been available since the spring and has been used successfully by many millions of Americans.”
The IRS said it sent nearly 9 million letters in September to people who may be eligible for the $1,200 Economic Impact Payments but don’t normally file a tax return.
The federal agency is encouraging those who haven’t received a check to enter their personal information at the “Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info” tool on IRS.gov/eip before the new Nov. 21 midnight ET deadline.
You can provide bank account information to receive the money via direct deposit or you can wait for a check to be mailed.
A single person can receive up to $1,200 in stimulus cash. Married couples can receive up to $2,400. People with qualifying children ages 16 or younger at the end of 2019 can get up to an extra $500 for each child.
