CARES Act - Direct Payment Information

As part of the CARES Act, Congress approved direct payments. The government began delivering these payments on Friday, April 10 via direct deposit and the delivery process is ongoing. 

Here is some important information to know about the direct payments:

• If you are a single tax filer and made less than $75,000 annually in the last year in which you filed taxes, or if you're a joint tax filer and your combined household income was less than $150,000, you will receive a full payment ($1,200 for single filers or $2,400 for joint filers) automatically if you filed taxes for 2018 or 2019. You will also receive an additional $500 for every child in your household. 

• If your income is greater than those incomes, but less than $99,000 for single filers and $198,000 for joint filers, and you have filed taxes in the past two years, you will receive a payment automatically. Your payment amount will decrease by $5 for every $100 of extra income over $75,000 for single filers and over $150,000 for joint filers. (That means, for example that if you are a single filer who earns $87,000 annually, you will receive a payment of $600.)

• If your individual income last year was less than $12,200, or $24,400 in your household income, and you therefore did not file a tax return, use this Internal Revenue Service tool to receive your payment.

• If you receive Social Security, you will receive a payment automatically in the form that you usually receive your Social Security benefits (as a check or direct deposit).

• If you are not normally required to file a tax return, such as if you receive benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs, use this Internal Revenue Service tool to receive your payment.

• If you have not received a tax refund through direct deposit in the past, but wish to receive your payment as a direct deposit, you can file your direct deposit information with the Department of Treasury here.

• When you receive your payment, know that it is not considered taxable income.

• If you would like to check the status of your payment, you can do so here.