Stimulus Checks: Some Payments Delayed Until 2021

Ever since the White House and Congress agreed to their historic $2 trillion stimulus package in late March, there has been much discussion regarding the payments that eligible Americans will receive. Of course, there has also been a fair share of questions associated with those payments, as well. One of the biggest questions that American taxpayers have is when they’ll actually receive their payment (if they have not done so already). A new article from the Washington Post even showcases that many parents, in particular, are wondering when they will receive their $500 stimulus child benefit. According to the publication, some parents may not be getting their check this year.

The Washington Post that while some parents have received the $1,200 check entitled to them, they have not yet received the additional stimulus child benefit, which entails that Americans will receive $500 per child under the age of 17 that they claim as a dependent. As the publication went on to share, parents may not even receive that payment until next year. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) related in a post on their website that those who did not receive their payment in full (which includes the stimulus child benefit) will have to wait until 2021. The Washington Post even included a statement from someone who is personally affected by this discrepancy.

Jamie Jones, a widow and a mother of three young children, received her $1,200 check but did not receive the additional funds entitled to her for her kids. Jones, who is currently out of work due to the health crisis, explained to the publication that she filed her 2019 tax return in February in which she claimed her children as dependents. If there is not a policy change regarding this matter, she will have to wait until she files a federal return next year in order to get her payment. She told the Washington Post, “Because their system was flawed, we are punished for it, and there is no way to give us relief for a whole year.”

Jessica Bartholow, a policy advocate with Western Center on Law & Poverty in California, explained to the Washington Post just how much this can affect families amidst this pandemic. However, she also noted that she hopes that the government can find some way of getting these payments to American taxpayers. Bartholow said, “Five hundred dollars is a lot of money and could provide a lot of emotional and financial relief. Right now is a moment in which we have to believe in government and we have to believe that it can work. So as disappointing as all of this is, I also really still believe in the IRS to do the right thing, to find a way to get these families the $500 per child as soon as possible.”