COVID Tax Tip 2020-126, September 25, 2020
Federal benefit recipients who don’t normally have a filing requirement but do have qualifying children must register by Wednesday, Sept. 30 to receive a $500 catch-up payment per child. Other non-filers have until Thursday, October 15 to register for their Economic Impact Payment.
Anyone using the Non-Filers tool can speed up the arrival of their payment by choosing to receive it by direct deposit. Those who don’t choose direct deposit will get a check.
The deadline to claim a $500 payment for a qualifying child is Wednesday, September 30, 2020.
The deadline applies to individuals who didn’t receive $500 per qualifying child earlier this year when they received their own automatic Economic Impact Payment and who receive:
- Social Security retirement
- Survivor or disability benefits
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Railroad Retirement benefits
- Veterans Affairs Compensation
- Veterans Affairs Compensation and Pension (C&P) benefits
Federal benefit recipients can use the Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info Here tool to get a catch-up payment for a qualifying child if they have NOT done one of the following:
- already used the Non-Filers tool to provide information about their qualifying child or
- filed their 2019 or 2018 federal tax return
Anyone who filed or plans to file a 2018 or 2019 tax return should NOT use this tool and should file their tax return by the October 15, 2020 deadline.
People who’ve already used the Non-Filers tool to provide info on children don’t need to do anything else. The IRS will automatically make a payment to them in October.
Thursday, October 15, 2020 is the registration deadline to get an Economic Impact Payment this year.
Eligible individuals with little or no income who are not required to file a tax return may still qualify to receive an Economic Impact Payment this year, if they use the Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info Here tool by October 15, 2020.
Anyone who misses either of these deadlines will need to wait until next year and claim the payment as a credit on their 2020 federal income tax return.
More Information
- Economic Impact Payment eligibility FAQs