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IRS App Retooled For Taxpayers Awaiting Virus Relief Funds

By McCord Pagan · 2020-04-27 17:49:20 -0400

The Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Department of the Treasury said they've updated and improved an app designed to help taxpayers receive their coronavirus relief checks from the federal government.

The IRS announced the updates Sunday, which it said would further help the millions of people using the app to add their bank information so they can receive their economic impact payments via direct deposit.

The Get My Payment application was launched April 15, and allows people who didn't provide direct deposit information on their most recent tax return to give the information to the agency, the IRS said at the time. The application also allows people to check on the status of their economic relief checks and will show when deposits have been scheduled, according to the government.

A Spanish-language version of the application is expected in the coming weeks, the government said.

"These further enhancements will help even more taxpayers," IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig said in a statement announcing the updates. "IRS teams worked long hours to deliver Get My Payment in record time, and we will continue to make improvements to help Americans." 

People who were required to have filed taxes for the 2018 or 2019 tax years but didn't, recently filed a return or are beneficiaries of certain government programs may get a "status not available" response from the application, the IRS said earlier this month.

The IRS also cautioned the public about potential scams, adding that it will never send unsolicited electronic communications to people asking them to open attachments, visit a website or share personal information.

The payments are generally $1,200 per individual or $2,400 per couple, with an additional $500 for each qualifying child and phaseouts starting at $75,000 for individuals or $150,000 for couples, the IRS has said. The funds were authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security, or CARES, Act.

--Additional reporting by Theresa Schliep. Editing by Alanna Weissman.

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