How to Get Your Stimulus Check Faster – New Stimulus March 2021

On March 10, 2021, President Joe Biden’s signed the $1.9 trillion stimulus package bill, which included direct payments and monthly child tax credits. Under the new bill, most eligible taxpayers, dependents under 17, and families with “mixed” US citizenship are expected to receive a relief boost of $1400 payments per individual. 

Some individuals who weren’t qualified for the first and second stimulus check may see a payment based on adjusted gross income qualifications suggested for the third stimulus package.  

The following calculator will give you an estimate of how much you and your family will receive with the latest Coronavirus relief package that was passed on March 10, 2021.

Stimulus Check Calculator

Estimate how much money you may receive with the 2021 direct payments

Your Tax Income Status

Single

Married (Filed Jointly)

Head Of Household

Use your most recent filed tax return to determine your AGI (Adjusted Gross Income). You can use your 2019 or 2020 tax return. Enter your adjusted gross income found on line 8b on the 1040 federal tax form.

Adjusted Gross Income

$

Number of Children Under 17

Your estimated stimulus check is $0

Calculate

Source: House Committee on Ways and Means

Hoping to avoid any delays with your third stimulus check? We can help you get your stimulus check in your pocket faster! Read on to find out how. 

If you filed your return for 2020:

You should receive your third stimulus check in the same account that your tax refund was delivered if you chose direct deposit. 

The ‘Get My Payment’ tool is working and you can check past stimulus payment details for tax purposes. Once the third stimulus bill is finalized, check the IRS.gov website to review the status of your payment.  

With the last two stimulus payments, If you didn’t get a refund, requested a paper check when you filed taxes, or closed your bank on file, the IRS may send them out via paper check or EIP card through the mail.

If you haven’t yet filed for 2020: 

Option 1 :

The ‘Get My Payment” online tool page is up and running and there’s no way to update your banking information right now.

The IRS will likely use your most recently filed tax return if you received a refund by direct deposit in 2019 or 2020. If they do not have your banking information because you opted for a paper check or owed, you will receive a check or EIP card in the mail.

Two other ways the IRS would have determined your banking information is if you registered your banking information for the first two stimulus payments through the IRS’ ‘Get My Payment’ online tool.

Or you provided the IRS your banking information through the Non-Filer tool.

Option 2:

File your 2020 return promptly. If you receive a refund and opted for direct deposit, the IRS will use your banking information to send the funds if they haven’t already done so.

Will non-filers get a stimulus check?

Yes, non-filers who fall into the eligibility bracket will receive a third stimulus check. Normally, you’re not required to file a tax return if your gross income was under $12,200 ($24,400 for married couples). However, for non-filers who were eligible for the first and second stimulus payments and didn’t receive them, you’re going to have to file 2020 federal income taxes to claim your money as a Recovery Rebate Credit. Free-file is open and if you’re a  non-filers who makes less than $72,000 a year, you’re eligible to file taxes for free here.  

As of February 17th, 2021, the non-filer tool is closed and it will not be available for other stimulus payments.  

Government benefits and stimulus checks

If you receive disability, railroad retirement, survivor, or Social Security benefits, no action was required from you for the first and second round of stimulus checks. The IRS automatically deposited your stimulus check in the account where you receive monthly benefit payments. 

However, there were many discrepancies where SSDI or SSI recipients never received any payments. In order to receive the stimulus payments you are owed, you must file your 2020 taxes and claim the missing payments as a Recovery Rebate Credit. If you received a letter from the IRS confirming your payments were sent, you may need to contact the IRS and to get a payment trace

Expedite the process of submitting your banking information to the IRS by having your banking information, driver’s license or state-issued ID number, Identity Protection Personal Identification Number (if applicable), and Social Security number for your dependents handy. 

Is the stimulus check a loan?

No, the upcoming third round of stimulus checks is not a loan. Additionally, the third economic payment will not count as a taxable form of income, cannot be garnished, will not count towards owed taxes and you’re not required to pay it back.

Is the stimulus check a cash advance? 

The proposed $1.9 trillion stimulus package bill is a direct payment from the government to help the American people who have experienced hardships during coronavirus. This payment is not a loan or cash advance of any sort. 

We understand that you have bills to pay now and waiting for government assistance can take time. While you wait for your next paycheck or the next stimulus check, consider an Instacash cash advance from MoneyLion. Get instant access of up to $250 at 0% interest rates and no hard credit inquiries. 

Smart ways to use your Stimulus Check

While you wait for your third stimulus check to hit your account, it’s never too soon to start brainstorming ways to put the funds to good use. A few viable suggestions: 

Stash your cash 

With so much uncertainty lingering, it’s not a bad idea to tuck your stimulus check proceeds away for a rainy day. Find a savings account with a decent rate of return or, better yet, use your stimulus check to start investing and building wealth.

Read on to find out how MoneyLion can put your investments on autopilot and make you money in the background of life.

Pay off high-interest credit cards

This year’s financial crisis might have pushed you to use your credit cards more than you’d like. If you have a steady source of income and a cash stash, pay off a small high-interest credit card.

This prevents you from throwing away money on interest every month, and your credit score will benefit because your utilization is lower. Just don’t forget to use and pay off the card on occasion so the credit card issuer doesn’t close the account. 

Get current on past-due debts

Were you dealing with past-due debts before the COVID-19 crisis?

If you’ve already called the creditors, and they won’t allow you to participate in a relief program, use a portion of your stimulus check to bring your accounts current. This prevents the accounts from going into collections and saves you a bundle on late fees and penalties that continue to rack up. 

Rebuilding your credit

Have you fallen behind on a bill because of financial hardship due to COVID-19? Consider using your second stimulus check to start rebuilding credit. 

You can pay off those pesky collection accounts that aren’t near the reporting timeline to get them out of your hair. It may not increase your credit score by much, but you’ll be perceived as less risky in the eyes of creditors.

Or you can join a Credit Builder Plus membership from MoneyLion, and boost your credit rating with a Credit Builder Loan up to $1,000. 

You’ll only spend a small portion of your stimulus check and receive a part or all of the loan proceeds in your account right away. The remainder sits in an interest-earning Credit Reserve Account until you pay the loan off. Each time you make a payment, the positive activity is reported to the credit bureaus to help build your credit score.

Donate some funds to a worthy cause

Contribute to the charity of your choice. Look into local charities or even a family in your area that could use some help. A couple hundred dollars could go a long way when used to feed the needy or provide supplies to the low-income, underserved and homeless populations. 

Invest your stimulus check

Looking for a way to invest your stimulus check? A fully managed investment portfolio with MoneyLion is an effortless way to put that extra money to work.

After answering a few questions to determine your risk tolerance, we’ll help curate the perfect investment plan that works for you based on your preferences. Spread that money out over time if you’d prefer with auto-investing.

For $1/month and no minimums, you can select a recurring amount you’d like to invest each month and we’ll handle the rest!

Getting your direct payments early

If you’ve already received your second direct payment in 2020, your third economic payment will likely get deposited into the bank account you previously used. However, if you have changed your account or received a paper check – you still have options to get funds today.

By signing up for Instacash, you can get advances on your paycheck or government funds up to $250. Simply link your RoarMoney account or external account to Instacash and we’ll determine the amount we can advance you.

Learn more about Instacash here!