People who have not yet received their stimulus checks from the first relief package would be glad to know that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is extending the deadline for registration by five weeks.
Deadline for the receipt of the stimulus checks
On Monday, the IRS announced the new deadline for the Economic Impact Payment would be set for November 21 from an initial date of October 15.
According to USA Today, IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig said in a news release that the agency made the decision to provide a compromise for individuals who have not yet had the chance to register to receive their direct payments.
The extended deadline is meant to support the Americans who do not usually file a tax return, which number in the millions. The majority of these individuals live on limited incomes who have yet to receive sufficient support to pay for rent and other necessities.
The exact number of people who have not yet received their $1,200 stimulus checks remains unclear. A U.S. Government Accountability Office report notes that the IRS and the Department of Treasury are unsure how many eligible Americans have not yet been given their stimulus checks.
Rettig said that the IRS was heavily involved with the processing and programming that overlaps with filing seasons. The official noted additional deadline extension that goes beyond November would bring disastrous consequences to the 2020 and 2021 filing seasons.
The IRS's online non-filers portal has been available since spring, and millions of Americans have used the assistance. The agency said it had already distributed nearly nine million letters last September to individuals who were eligible for the $1,200 direct payments.
Process of registering
Americans who are looking to register for their payment could simply go to the IRS website and use the "Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info Here" tool. The registration process does not need any sort of payment, and the tool can be accessed directly through the irs.gov website, as reported by Forbes.
The agency said individuals who are unable to access the website or do not have internet access could still file a federal income tax return for 2019 with the IRS despite receiving non-taxable income or not having enough income to file a tax return normally.
The IRS is encouraging taxpayers to electronically file using their convenient tax preparer, tax software provided, or IRS Free File.
The information of the nine million Americans that the IRS is sending letters to is based on an internal analysis of forms. This would have Americans who earn $24,400 or less annually for married couples, and single citizens who earn $12,200 annually would be included.
Rettig noted that people who did not file a tax return are running out of time to receive their $1,200 direct payments. He urged everyone involved to register as soon as possible and share the information with as many people before the deadline to get their stimulus checks.
