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Third stimulus check: IRS to begin sending payments for social security recipients

It’s the question everyone has been asking…when will Social Security recipients get their third stimulus checks? The IRS has finally given a timeline.

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service and Treasury Department announced Tuesday that stimulus checks for Social Security recipients and other federal beneficiaries will be issued this weekend. 

While these payments will be distributed in the coming days, the agencies said the majority of the checks will be sent electronically and received on Wednesday, April 7. 

Since the American Rescue Plan was signed into law, stimulus checks have gone out to at least 127 million Americans; however, many who receive federal benefits and don't typically file tax returns were given no timeline initially for when they would get their money. 

Last Thursday, the IRS received data on beneficiaries from the Social Security Administration which then allowed the agency to start the process of validating eligibility on what they say are millions of records. The agency has already been inundated with a backlog on tax filings which has seen the tax filing deadline pushed back multiple times already for this tax season.

While Tuesday's announcement did not say how many people will now be getting their stimulus checks, lawmakers said last Thursday that the wait for files from SSA had been holding up the stimulus payments for nearly 30 million Americans. 

The IRS noted Tuesday that federal benefit recipients who file tax returns already started to receive Economic Impact Payments earlier this month, along with other taxpayers.

According to IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig, the agency's teams are working as quickly as they can.

“Our teams immediately began processing data we received last week for federal benefit recipients. We know how important these payments are, and we are doing everything we can to make these payments as fast as possible to these important individuals,” Rettig said. 

The IRS said they expect to be able to complete the processing of payment files for this portion of stimulus recipients by the end of this week, so that the agency can meet the official payment date of April 7. 

When will Veterans Affairs benefit recipients get third stimulus check?

The IRS said Tuesday it is still working out when Veterans Affairs benefit recipients will receive their stimulus payments, and the agency said it will make that announcement soon. The current estimate for VA beneficiaries who do not file taxes, is that they could see their stimulus payments arrive by mid-April, according to the IRS. 

How to track your stimulus check

The IRS said Tuesday the Get My Payment tool on the agency's website won't be updated until the weekend of April 3-4, so federal beneficiaries will have to wait until at least then to check on the status of their payments. VA benefit recipients may have to wait until at least mid-April to use the tool. 

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Am I eligible for the third stimulus check?

The American Rescue Plan provides households with $1,400 for each adult, child and adult dependent, such as college students or elderly relatives. 

The payments start declining for an individual once adjusted gross income exceeds $75,000 and go to zero once income hits $80,000. The payment starts declining for married couples when income exceeds $150,000 and goes to zero at $160,000.

A qualifying family of four would receive $5,600.

Do college students, adult dependents get the third stimulus check?

Unlike the first and second rounds of checks, payments for dependents in the third round are not restricted to only children under 17. 

According to the IRS website: "Eligible families will get a payment based on all of their qualifying dependents claimed on their return, including older relatives like college students, adults with disabilities, parents and grandparents."

Now it's important to note that if you're a dependent, the check won't go to you, it'll go to whoever claims you as a dependent. 

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