WASHINGTON – The IRS is clearing things up by assuring Americans that the claims about additional stimulus checks are not accurate. In the last several days, stories about new payments from the IRS and Treasury Department for families with low and moderate incomes have spread quickly online. But the agency has since said that these reports are wrong.
The rumors probably originated because of something else the IRS did this year. The agency was giving out $2.4 billion in 2021 Recovery Rebate Credits that people hadn’t claimed yet. This credit was part of COVID-era assistance initiatives and could have been worth up to $1,400 per individual, but the deadline to claim it has passed.
Figuring Out Why New Payments Aren’t Coming
Congress needs to enact a law that allows the payments before new stimulus checks can be sent out. As of now, there hasn’t been a measure like that in 2024. The CARES Act, the COVID-related Tax Relief Act, and the American Rescue Plan Act were the only three laws that allowed direct relief payments to be made during the pandemic.
Senator Josh Hawley has sponsored the American Worker Rebate Act, which would use tariff money to give at least $600 to each taxpayer. Some people have said that this could be a new stimulus, although the bill is still in committee and hasn’t moved forward yet. This means that even if it did pass, Congress would have to approve any checks that were issued.
How to Spot and Stay Away from Tax Scams ⚠️
The IRS is also utilizing this chance to tell people about tax scams. These scams usually include:
Offers that appear too good to be true: Scammers could give you wrong tax advice or get you to cheat on tax forms to get credits you don’t qualify for.
Threats or demands: They typically pressure you for personal or financial information, and if you don’t give it to them, they could threaten to arrest you or deport you.
The IRS says to be careful with these techniques since the government will never threaten you or demand immediate payment without providing you a chance to dispute or appeal the amount you owe.