Stimulus Check: What to Know If You're Still Awaiting the First Payment

Since the start of April, the rollout of stimulus checks has not been without its fair share of issues for millions of Americans — especially as news of a second payment is making its way to U.S. households in just weeks. Somewhere between 30 and 35 million Americans are still awaiting the relief of payment, despite more than 160 million checks already been sent out, per Marketwatch. The stimulus checks came as part of the CARES Act, a $2 trillion bill signed into effect back in March. They allotted a one-time payment of $1,200 to U.S. citizens, $2,400 for couples and $500 for each dependent claimed.

It was also part of a much larger goal to help keep the economy afloat during widespread industry shutdowns that were put in place to help slow the spread of coronavirus. However, the payments were handled by the IRS and became problematic almost immediately. Direct deposits were going into the wrong accounts, paper checks weren't making it to their addresses, and few people seemed to find help thanks to the Get My Payment portal on the agency's website.

While there have been improved efforts to help would-be recipients track their payments, some may fall outside of the perimeters or missed some deadlines. Here's a look at what to keep in mind if that stimulus check never showed up, per the House Committee on Ways and Means.