IRS Rolls Out Quicker Fix for Missing or Incorrect Stimulus Payments

Are you still waiting for your Economic Impact Payment? Did you get your payment but it was for the wrong amount? The IRS initially said you needed to wait until filing your 2020 tax return to resolve any issues with missing or incorrect Economic Impact Payments.

Thanks to the prodding of the Taxpayer Advocate Service, the IRS has established procedures to help correct payment issues in the following scenarios:

Missing dependent payment. The IRS will issue supplemental payments in the coming weeks to eligible individuals who normally do not have to file a tax return and claimed at least one qualifying child but did not receive the qualifying child portion of the payment.

Injured spouse. Eligible individuals who filed for or can file for Injured Spouse Allocation (Form 8379) and did not receive their Economic Impact Payment will receive their payment in the coming weeks.

Math error. Eligible individuals whose payment was based on a 2018 or 2019 tax return where the IRS adjusted the return for a math error that negatively impacted the original amount of the payment will now receive a payment for an approved adjusted amount. The IRS will work with the taxpayer to resolve the math error and, if appropriate, issue a payment for the additional amount.

Victims of identity theft. Eligible individuals who were victims of identity theft have often not received a payment or the amount received is incorrect. The IRS will adjust the payment amount once the identity theft issue is resolved.

Deceased or incarcerated spouse. Eligible individuals often have not received an Economic Impact Payment because they filed a joint return with a deceased or incarcerated spouse. The IRS will recalculate the payment and issue it only to the non-deceased/non-incarcerated spouse.

Actions you can take

Contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service to determine if your Economic Impact Payment will either be corrected now or in 2021 when you file your tax return. The Advocate Service will be providing more details in the coming weeks about how to reach out to them for assistance.