New IRS Page Lets Americans Check on the Status of Their $1,200

(Bloomberg) -- A new Internal Revenue Service web page allows Americans awaiting $1,200 economic stimulus payments to find out when they will arrive, though high demand was causing some delays.

The web page lets recipients log in to to see when their payment will be sent and whether they will receive it by direct deposit or a mailed check.

Phyllis Jo Kubey, a tax preparer in New York City, said several of her clients received error messages after trying to access the IRS’s “Get My Payment” tool earlier Wednesday. People are eager to get their stimulus payments as soon as possible, she said.

The IRS said in a statement that the online tool will be updated once a day.

“The IRS urges taxpayers to only use Get My Payment once a day given the large number of people receiving Economic Impact Payments,” according to the statement.

To see when payments will be sent, people will need to provide their Social Security number, date of birth and mailing address. Those wishing to submit bank account information also need to upload the adjusted gross income on their most recent tax return, as well as the amount of their most recent refund or amount owed.

Millions of Payments

The IRS began sending more than 80 million payments via direct deposit this week to middle- and low-income households. Mailed checks for those who don’t have bank account information on file will start going out next week, but it could take months for all the payments to be distributed.

Individuals earning up to $75,000 or couples earning up to $150,000 are eligible for a $1,200 payment per adult and $500 per child under 17. The payments phase out above that income level, and individuals earning more than $99,000 or couples with a combined income of $198,000 don’t get anything.

People who filed tax returns in 2018 or 2019 can add bank account information to receive direct payments instead of waiting to receive a paper check.

The IRS released a separate website last week to allow people who aren’t required to file tax returns to provide their bank account information.

The website can’t update bank account information after the payment has been scheduled for delivery, according to the Treasury Department. People who received tax refunds by direct deposit can’t change their bank account information, as the agency seeks to protect against fraud.

The agency will send recipients a notification about two weeks after they were scheduled to receive their payment with the details of how they should have received the money and how to report payments that don’t arrive.

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