Ask the taxgirl: Lost Stimulus Check

June 20, 2008 · 33 comments

Taxpayer asks:

Is there a remedy for a lost stimulus check?

Taxgirl says:

Are you sure that it’s lost? Or just not processed yet?

I would call the toll-free Rebate Hotline at 1-866-234-2942 and ask the IRS. You can also visit your local Taxpayer Assistance Center.

Like any good lawyer, I need to add a disclaimer: Unfortunately, it is impossible to give comprehensive tax advice over the internet, no matter how well researched or written. Before relying on any information given on this site, contact a tax professional to discuss your particular situation.

Have a question? Ask the taxgirl!

This post is part of the b5media Business Channel Great Blog Off! Find out more about the Blog Off here.

The Business Channel is supporting Accion International for the Great Blog Off. You can make a donation directly to Accion. Donations are, of course, tax deductible.

Similar Posts:

{ 33 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Peggy June 23, 2008 at 12:36 pm

What if you have received the check & lost it?

2 Miriam Maldonado June 24, 2008 at 2:21 pm

Please, help me. My stimulus check has been mailed to my old address and my old house has been taken over by the sheriff. I cant find my stimulus check.

3 zachary June 26, 2008 at 5:28 am

I have recieved my stimulus check a couple of weeks , yesterday I looked for it to cash it but I couldn’t find it, can I get a replacement check?

4 J.D. June 30, 2008 at 9:29 am

My stimulus check has been received and lost as well…What can we do?

5 darcia June 30, 2008 at 12:40 pm

my stimulus check was mailed on May 30th and I still have not received it yet. I can NOT get through to the IRS at the number on the notice. what can I do to request a replacement check or to track the lost check

6 Ron Calhoun July 5, 2008 at 6:16 pm

I received my stimulus check and lost it.. I reported to the IRS, and filed a form 3911. This morning, a family found the check and returned it to me. I would like to cancel the form 3911. What is my best option?
Sincerely

Ron Calhoun

7 Ron Calhoun July 5, 2008 at 6:21 pm

I received my stimulus check and lost it.. I reported to the IRS, and filed a form 3911. This morning, a family found the check and returned it to me. I would like to cancel the form 3911. What is my best option?
Sincerely

Ron Calhoun

8 cheri July 9, 2008 at 2:54 am

i just never received it… what do i do?

9 Linda July 9, 2008 at 4:54 pm

My husband and I received the stimulus check, but we have lost it. How do we go about getting it replaced or is this possible?

10 diane July 11, 2008 at 11:47 am

my stimulus says it was supposed to been mailed out on june 20 i still havent received what to do?

11 Glynda July 12, 2008 at 10:39 pm

I received my check, but think I accidently threw it away. What should I do?

12 Shondell Reed July 15, 2008 at 9:23 am

i was told that the stimulas check was not to be touch by child support,is this true and if so how can i get another check

13 Kelly July 15, 2008 at 9:41 am

For most of you, I can only suggest that you contact the IRS at the number above.

Ron, I’m guessing that you can’t withdraw your form 3911 but I don’t know – I haven’t had that situation yet. If you’ve reported the check as missing, I’d be surprised if that original check is still good – but again, not sure.

Shondell, that’s not true. See this post: http://www.taxgirl.com/ask-the-taxgirl-child-support/

14 Airen July 15, 2008 at 6:20 pm

My fiancee was due is check my may 23, 2008 by paper – still not here.

My check was due to me June 20 – still not here

What is going on with the IRS??

Anyone else have a LATE check?

15 melissa July 15, 2008 at 7:25 pm

I signed over my stimulus check to my boyfriend to cash (i cant get a checking or savings) but his bank called him and said they have to reverse the deposit. The bank mailed it to him but that got lost in the mail and now there’s an endorsed check somewhere out there. What can be done?

16 J.D. July 16, 2008 at 9:48 am

If you’ve received and lost your stimulus check, call 1-800-829-0582; ext. 725. It’ll take an hour of waiting on hold – I suggest speakerphone and something to do while waiting – and then 6 weeks to process…..have fun!

17 Amy August 1, 2008 at 1:42 pm

My check was supposedly mailed July 4. It never arrived. I waited until Aug 1, as instructed, to call the help number on the UNDERSTANDING YOUR ECONOMIC STIUMULS PAYMENT notice and the number taxgirl keeps referencing. I get a recording…no help…just a recording.

18 Melinda August 7, 2008 at 2:42 pm

My husband recently logged on to the IRS when we didn’t get our check. We got a message that we aren’t owed it because they said that my SS# and name don’t agree. I have been married for 15 years and changed my name and have 13 years of W2s, My SS card and a lot of other IDs to prove it and they have even sent lables with a revision of my married name but they insist that my maiden name is the only one they know. I have paid my taxes and still am refused even though they cashed my tax check. The SSA says my name is right and IRS says that the SSA has it as my maiden name and that I have no recourse!
What is the appeal process? The IRS says that there is none.
Melinda

19 Kelly August 7, 2008 at 4:28 pm

Melinda, do you have copies of old returns?

20 Burnice James August 7, 2008 at 8:57 pm

My problem is that someone recently stole and cashed my stimulus check! I am not sure if anyone is going to reimburse me and my three children for that stolen $900. Even though I filled out a change of address form, the check was sent to the wrong address. Who is to blame? The post office, the old address, the person who cashed the check, the place where the check was cashed, or me?

21 Kelly August 7, 2008 at 10:18 pm

Wow, that sucks. That’s why it’s important to change your address with IRS – I’m assuming that’s the form you filled out? Or did you just do it with the post office?
If you know who cashed the check, clearly you should turn them over to the police and consider filing suit. If you don’t, I would consider an action against the check cashing place; they have an obligation to verify identity.

22 cheri August 11, 2008 at 1:46 am

ok… so i went to ask my tax preparer lady and her answer was…. “it doesn’t matter if you filed your own tax this year. if your parents claimed you, you’re still not gonna get this stimulus…”
-_-” whatever… when they sent the checks out they should’ve explained it completely and not letting people continually thinking they’ll receive something.

23 Amy August 11, 2008 at 10:29 am

(Follow-up to my Aug 1 post – Check never arrived). Took advice from JD’s July 16 post and called 1-800-829-0582; ext. 725. Was on hold for about 35 minutes but connected with a really lovely IRS rep who filed a lost check report and had a great attitude. Yes, I have to wait up to 8 weeks for resolution but they did all the paperwork and we had a good laugh. Awesome support in a less than ideal situation.

24 Melinda August 11, 2008 at 11:21 am

Kelly,

I brought the IRS thirteen years worth of tax returns with W-2s that clearly had my name written as it should be as had been validated by my SS card! SSA says that they don’t have any information that needs to be changed because their information is correct and the IRS says that they can’t correct their information because only the SSA can do it. They keep saying the same mantra when I show them returns, SS card, driver’s liscense, W-2s et al……The Social Security Admin put this information in the system. It’s like they think I am stealing my own information and printed my own SS card! They refuse to budge and they have had my maiden name for 15 years!
Melinda

25 Kelly August 11, 2008 at 11:25 am

Amy, glad to hear it!

26 Kelly August 11, 2008 at 11:28 am

Melinda,
In your case, it really sounds like a call to the Taxpayer Advocate Service is in order. Call the TAS Case Intake Line to see if you are eligible: 1-877-777-4778

Note to other readers: This is NOT a point of contact regarding stimulus checks. The TAS helps taxpayers resolve problems with IRS – which is exactly what Melinda is experiencing.

Good luck and let us know how it works out!

27 Melinda August 28, 2008 at 10:41 am

Kelly, I am happy to say that we got our check. I persisted and called the number you gave me. They still refuse to correct my name but they
gave me the money. What cracks me up is that they claim my name is Melinda I Dohn and will not reccognize Melinda Iley-Dohn even though I gave them 13 years of W-2s with that name!

28 James Hall September 8, 2008 at 9:12 pm

This scam is “like stealing candy” from future babies. So where should we invest our “economic stimulus,” to leave to our children and grandchildren who will be stuck with the debt?
What rate of interest would our checks have to earn so that our children can pay the tax burden that our “leaders” have meanly foisted upon them?

29 Jane Doe January 12, 2009 at 9:01 am

Please check the IRS website for the correct number to call -the numbers listed here are fraudulent and take you to some “award center” hotline. Be careful to only call the number you find on the IRS site because you will be giving out personal information when you call. If you call the number, they will tell you the date of your payment and the amount and then you can print out form 3911 and fax it in. This starts a trace and then you should get a new check in 6 weeks

30 Kelly January 12, 2009 at 9:51 am

Thanks for the comment, Jane. I double checked the number as posted by me (taxgirl) in the original post and it is correct. It was the number provided by the IRS. I gave them a call, just to make sure. If anyone has any concerns, you can check out the IRS web site which lists the phone number. The “Where’s My Stimulus Payment?” page at IRS no longer exists.

31 melinda January 19, 2009 at 11:45 pm

they said they mailed my check and i should have received it but still no check i am a full time nurse and work everyday the times they are open if i give all my infromation to my boyfriend will he be allowed to apply for the new one i have tried to call at work but the wait time is to long and i have to hang up or maybe there is a form i can fill out and mail if so what is the form name and how do i get it please help nobody else has thank you very much
Melinda

32 Franky April 6, 2009 at 7:55 pm

I have still not received my stimulus check so I checked both online and over the phone and YES i was issued one but never got it.
Called IRS many times and there is no way to talk to anyone so what do I do?

33 Franky April 6, 2009 at 8:33 pm

Finally got ahold of someone and everthing was solved.

If you lost your check, call the IRS at 1-800-829-0582, extension 726 not the other number mentioned throughout this page.

good luck everyone!!

Leave a Comment

You can use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>

Previous post: Ask the taxgirl: Child Support

Next post: Ask the taxgirl: Other tax sites