Well, now I know why I haven't received that $600 stimulus payment yet

[Trailrider1951]

The IRS hasn't processed my 2019 tax return yet. That's right, it's time to file my 2020 taxes, and they still haven't processed last year's form yet. I filed a paper return for 2019 just before the July 15, 2020 deadline. I filed paper because I always fill out the paper form before going to the online e-file service I've used in the past (Turbo Tax). Well, after I filled in the e-form, they kicked me off because I made a bit more than their cut-off amount, so I just filed the paper. I also owed about $600, which is why I waited for the last minute to file. I included a check for the money with my return. My IRS account shows that check amount for payment, dated 7/16/2020. It cleared my checking account about a week later.

So, here I sit with another dilemma. Do I file my 2020 tax return electronically and claim the $600 stimulus as a tax credit? Doing this will cut my owed amount to about $60, easily paid online. And then what about the coming $1400? My adjusted gross income for 2019 was a bit less than $50,000. My agi for 2020 is a bit more than $50,000, so I may end up with less than $1400, which I can really use. You know, dealing with the IRS is difficult under normal circumstances, but this really takes the cake.

I guess I'm not really asking for advice (you can give it if you like). I'm just letting you all know, if you are still waiting for that $600, that this may be a reason you haven't received that money yet. Sucks to be me.

[MiniMe]

1. I don't think the stimulus payment was taxable

[dawg]

5. It isn't taxable, but it has to be reconciled on your return.

That way, some of the people who fell through the cracks can get the payments they did not receive added to their 2020 tax refunds instead.

[arlyellowdog]

2. Yes, I am exactly in your boat

When I go to Where’s my Payment, it lists taking the tax credit as an option. I’m taking it.

[Turin_C3PO]

3. I have no clue why I haven't

gotten my $600 yet. My 2019 taxes were processed and I received my $1200 stimulus in May. So the other day I filled out my 2020 tax form and claimed the $600 recovery rebate. I hope I get it in a timely matter.

[nature-lover]

4. Does the $600. count towards tax year 2020 or 2021 when I received it?

[arlyellowdog]

6. It's a different thing

The $600 is never taxable, but for people who didn’t receive the $600 they were supposed to get, they can get it as a credit off their 2020 tax return.

[Trailrider1951]

7. That $600 stimulus payment #2 is not taxable

Nor was the payment #1 for $1200, and the future $1400 payment won't be either. In 2019 I owed $670, because I underpaid my tax due with my withholding. This year, for 2020 tax return, I again owed about $660. If I take the $600 payment as a tax credit for 2020, I will owe about $60. Sorry if I wasn't clear.

[dawg]

8. I would wait until the income limits for the $1,400 checks have been finalized before filing 2020.

If they don't have your 2020 return, they'll probably use your 2019 numbers instead. Of course, if they keep the previous $75,000 limit, it won't matter.

As for the other matter, when I finally did file for 2020, I'd be sure to claim credit for any of the relief checks I did not receive. The worst thing that could happen is that they finally process your 2019 return and send the $600 to you twice. You'd have to return one of the checks to them, but that, to me, is a far better thing than not getting a check at all.

[A Brand New World]

9. We haven't got ours yet either.

We got the 1st one with no problem because we are are both on Social Security and had filed a 2018 tax return. 2019 is the 1st year we didn’t need to file a tax return because of no other income other than SS so I think that is the holdup for not getting the 2nd stimulus. I filed a 2020 return just to be able to receive it. Hopefully that should work.

[leftyladyfrommo]

27. That's me. I haven't filed for several years because I

just get SS.

My $1200 came last May. It was a ck.

No $600. So I filed 2020.

[apcalc]

10. Same here . 2019 return not processed.

Further, ALWAYS mail your returns certified mail registered with receipt .

I have sent my 2019 return TWICE, have IRS signed receipt for both. Neither processed as yet.

Just mailed my 2020 return today, certified, registered...

[Trailrider1951]

12. Well, I sent my 2019 return by regular mail

And I know they got it because they deposited the check I sent with it. I'm just going to e-file from now on. I just need to use a service other than Turbo Tax, because of their low cut-off amount. I used them in the past because I made less than their cut-off amount. OLT is what I will use for 2020.

[apcalc]

18. What I learned from an IRS rep is that your check goes one place, your return another.

They have my check too.
Yes, they got your return. Don’t assume they know where it is.

[Democrat 4 Ever]

25. I work for the IRS

The last I heard there was over 15 million pieces of mail that hasn’t been processed, especially paper returns. This was very early in the shut down. Lord knows what the numbers are now.

The first thing when they receive a return with a check,they separate the check, deposit to your account and list a credit on your account until the return is processed. In a good year it takes 15-20 extra weeks to process a paper return. All bets are off for this past year and 2019 returns. Always, always, always send everything to the IRS as certified mail with return receipt. And make sure your certified receipt is legible, doesn’t help a whit if they can’t read the date. Can save you loads of time, penalties and interest if they can’t read it, they lost it or say they have no record of receiving your return.

Say what you want about electronically filing but the computer checks every return before accepting it, gives you a chance to correct and resubmit. Paper returns are dependent upon a seasonal employee hastily trained, given stacks of returns as high as their heads and told to enter them as quickly as possible. Mistakes are made due to the sheer numbers and the stressful environment to get them done as quickly as possible. And don’t get me started on the ones you seriously can’t read, numerous mistakes or half-assed done, you name it, the IRS deals with it.

And it is still a great place to work.

[apcalc]

26. Thanks for the info! What is the best electronic filing program?

I would love to e-file. Not interested in spending money for a program. Anything free?

[ananda]

11. I use OLT which is free and proprietary to the IRS.

It files electronically and I always get my refund
really fast.

[Trailrider1951]

13. Yes, this is the service I will use for 2020 tax return.

I will NEVER file by paper form again. And they can bloody well wait for the check for what I owe.

[apcalc]

19. What is OLT?

[Trailrider1951]

22. On Line Taxes

I followed a link from irs.gov. It's good if your income is under $75000. Free e-file, too.

[ananda]

28. Here is the link.

https://www.olt.com/main/oltfree/default.asp

[twin_ghost]

14. Yes, I got the first $1200 but didn't get the $600.

I will have to file taxes on paper claiming the recovery act money. There is a chart in the IRS 1040 instructions on how to find out what your recovery credit is.

[senseandsensibility]

15. How did you find out your return hadn't been processed?

Like you, I owed money and they cashed my check. I guess I assumed that that meant it was processed.

[Trailrider1951]

16. I went to irs.gov looking for my past tax return info

because I suspected that there might be something wrong with my 2019 return, due to the fact that I received stimulus #1 back in May, 2020, but not stimulus #2, the most recent $600. The website required that I create an account, with login and password. I did that. It then asked me to give them certain info, including a valid credit card account, to verify my identity. I did this, but they still said that they could not verify my identity, so they would mail me an activation code. That arrived yesterday, so this morning I completed my login and found that they have not yet processed my 2019 return. No delay in depositing my check, doncha know.

So, today I will file my 2020 tax return. According to my calculations, I should owe them about $660, due to insufficient withholding. If I claim the $600 (stimulus #2) as a credit (line 30 on my form 1040-SR), I will owe only about $60. I'm going to do this, and if they send me a check for stimulus #2 after all, then, if I can, I will hold onto it and use it for tax I may owe for 2021. It all just sux.

Edited to add one more thing: I only owed taxes for 2018, 2019 and 2020 because of the Rump and Republican screwing with the tax code in 2017. God, I hate those bastards!

[senseandsensibility]

17. Thanks.

Very helpful info!

[apcalc]

20. I got a letter from them. Yup they cashed my check too.

Means nothing. I learned that the check goes one way , your return goes another.

[meadowlander]

21. Ditto for me. I still haven't received anything

and I filed my 2019 return last March.

I'm just going to claim all of it on my 2020 return and hope for the best. What else can you do? They won't even let me check the status of my account online because I have an overseas address.

[Demsrule86]

23. You can file... that happened to me also but it depends on how far along they are...you will either

say 0 for the, the amount of refund or what you owed...with the question about last years tax return.

[Trailrider1951]

24. My security question for the e-file of my 2020 tax return was:

"What was your adjusted gross income for your last tax return?"

Well, damn, how do I answer that? They haven't processed my 2019 return yet, so they do not have that number. So, do I give them the AGI that is on my 2018 tax return? I KNOW they have that. And that is what I gave them. I'll know sometime after 2/12/2021 when they start processing 2020's returns whether or not they will accept that. This just sux all to hell!

[Demsrule86]

29. That happened to me . And the answer is 0 they accepted this answer.