- Because of gridlock that’s lasted for months in Congress over a new coronavirus relief bill, it seems all but certain now that no one will be getting a second stimulus check in 2020.
- There is, however, one last chance to receive a stimulus check this year — it’s the stimulus check that you should have gotten already, after Congress passed the $2.2 trillion CARES Act in March.
- The deadline to make sure the IRS has all your information in order to get a stimulus check this year is November 21.
Congress passed 2020’s one and only coronavirus stimulus bill back in March, and while millions got a one-time $1,200 stimulus check thanks to its passage, the economic fortunes of so many Americans have nevertheless worsened considerably as the year dragged on. The COVID-19 pandemic is still with us, wrecking countless lives from a financial standpoint thanks to lost jobs and wages, never mind the public health aspect of this crisis — to the point that, even though many Americans have been waiting and hoping for a sorely-needed second stimulus check, it seems all but certain now that one won’t be coming by the end of this year, which is only a few weeks away.
Today’s Best Deal
This is not for lack of trying. Members of the US House of Representatives have been calling especially loudly for Congress to pass new stimulus legislation, with the divide among Democrats and Republicans as follows: Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been holding out for an all-encompassing bill with a multi-trillion-dollar price tag that includes new stimulus check funding. GOP Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, however, is prioritizing a much smaller price tag on any new stimulus package.
Two bills to provide another round of stimulus checks and an extension of federal unemployment benefits have been sitting on Senator Mitch McConnell’s desk for 186 days and 47 days, respectively.
— Former Rep. Marcia L. Fudge (@RepMarciaFudge) November 17, 2020
A one-time stimulus check isn’t enough.
Millions of Americans continue to be forced into poverty during this pandemic. It’s time for us to provide immediate assistance—$2,000/month for every struggling American for the duration of this crisis. pic.twitter.com/ZraSz7n6RN
— Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) November 18, 2020
Meantime, there is still a chance for some Americans to receive a $1,200 stimulus check before the end of the year — provided you haven’t received the first one yet.
If you’re one of those people, you’ve only got a short window of time to act. You have to submit your information to the IRS by 3 p.m. this Saturday, November 21, to ensure that you get your payment this year.
As we’ve noted previously, some peoples’ individual situations meant that they were left out when the tax agency started sending out the $1,200 checks earlier this year — which you got based on information from your 2018 or 2019 tax returns. For example, some people might not have gotten a check if their income was too low to require them to file a tax return at all for those two years. Also, errors meant that some people did not receive the extra add-on money for any eligible dependent children they might have.
For anyone who didn’t get their stimulus money, use the non-filer tool on the IRS website to input your information before the November 21 deadline.
You don’t need to do this if you’ve already submitted your information. The government will be issuing checks through the end of 2020, and you can check on the status of yours by visiting the Get My Payment section of the IRS website.
