Stimulus update: Checks for veterans set for Wednesday; more people getting ‘plus-up’ payments

Veterans who have been waiting for their stimulus check should see that money on Wednesday, according to the Internal Revenue Service.

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The $1,400 American Rescue Plan direct payments are set to go out to veterans and their beneficiaries who receive Compensation and Pension (C&P) benefit payments and who don’t normally file a tax return.

The IRS announced last week that most payments will be sent electronically.

“Because the majority of these payments will be disbursed electronically, they would be received on the official payment date of April 14. The IRS projects VA beneficiary payment information would be available in the Get My Payment tool …,” the news release said.

If you receive your VA benefits on a Direct Express card and do not file a tax return, the IRS says you will get that payment deposited on that card. If you have a direct deposit account on file with the IRS, you may have already received a stimulus payment. The agency will use other information from the Department of Veterans Affairs to get the payment to you if it does not have direct deposit or Direct Express card information.

In addition, the IRS notes that the direct payment is not counted as income for determining VA benefits.

The direct payments from the American Rescue Plan have been sent out in batches, the first going out on March 17, nearly a week after the legislation was signed by President Joe Biden on March 11. The agency has deposited $372 billion in COVID-19 economic stimulus payments since the first batch of checks was sent out on March 17. So far, more than 156 million Americans have seen the $1,400 direct payments.

The payments have gone to millions of individuals making up to $75,000 in adjusted gross income, and couples filing jointly making up to $150,000.

Wednesday’s payments will be the fifth batch of direct payments sent to Americans under the stimulus plan.

The payments distributed last week included 1 million “plus-up” payments, or additional ongoing supplemental payments for people who have already received stimulus checks based on their 2019 tax returns, but who are eligible for a new or larger payment based on their recently processed 2020 tax returns.

The IRS will deliver your plus-up payment via direct deposit if you received your stimulus payment that way. If not, you may get the supplemental payment by mail.

Last week, the IRS sent out 1 million plus-up payments totaling more than $2 million. The payments will be sent out in batches to those who qualify for one.

Cox Media Group