How People With Little or No Income Can Get a Stimulus Check

People with little or no income are still eligible to get a stimulus check during the coronavirus pandemic, but they may have the hardest time of all doing so. With most of the payments now distributed, some people who did not get payments are assuming they were not eligible, and a great deal of misinformation has been spread. Thankfully, the IRS does have methods in place for people with low or no income to get their checks.

The stimulus checks meant to offset the economic burden of the coronavirus pandemic were distributed by the IRS via the same methods that tax refunds were sent out in the last two years. However, Americans with low income or no income at all are not required to file taxes, and so were not included in these automated methods. For them, the IRS set up a new web page for “non-filers,” where they can enter some information to verify who they are and get their money. The IRS is now urging people to use this tool if they haven’t already. “The IRS is working hard to find new ways for people who don’t have a filing requirement to receive their Economic Impact Payment,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig on Friday.

The non-filers tool is a simple web page that functions as a government form and can be completed online. Anyone with an adjusted gross income of $12,200 or less as a single filer will need to use this to get their stimulus check. It can also be used by certain social security or veteran beneficiaries to claim a dependent and get the additional payment to support them.

This is just the latest reminder for Americans to seek out their stimulus check rather than giving up. The IRS has now distributed millions of checks via direct deposit, mail or even prepaid debit cards, and the agency is hoping to ensure that all the checks find their rightful owners. In all likelihood, Americans with the lowest income have the greatest need for these relief payments, as they have also been affected by the economic fallout of COVID-19.

The only requirements for receiving a stimulus check are that a person has a valid social security number and not be claimed as a dependent on another taxpayer’s filings. They must also have an adjusted gross income of less than $99,000 as a single filer. The payments are worth up to $1,200 for those that make $75,000 per year or less, and the payments gradually reduce to zero until reaching $99,000.

For the latest information on your stimulus check, visit the IRS’ Get My Payment website. For the latest information on the coronavirus pandemic itself, visit the websites of the CDC and the World Health Organization.