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.
Before you go: be sure to read my disclaimer. Remember, I’m a lawyer and we love disclaimers.
If you have a question, here’s how to Ask The Taxgirl.
What if you have received the check & lost it?
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.
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?
My stimulus check has been received and lost as well…What can we do?
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
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
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
i just never received it… what do i do?
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?
my stimulus says it was supposed to been mailed out on june 20 i still havent received what to do?
I received my check, but think I accidently threw it away. What should I do?
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
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/
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?
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?
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!
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.
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
Melinda, do you have copies of old returns?
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?
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.
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.
(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.
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
Amy, glad to hear it!
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!
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!
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?
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
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.
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
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?
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!!
I applied for my stimulas check on 6/29/09. I asked to have it direct deposited, NOT MAILED. I still have not received it? At the time I was told 4 weeks and we are going on the 10th week????? How do I find out what is taking so long or have they dropped it thru the cracks????
Brian, did you call the IRS?
Thank you taxgirl…
The IRS advocate traced my stimulus check (direct diposit) to my bank.
Verified account number to be correct.
Bank refuses to help but cannot prove rejection notice to IRS.
All they did was provide me with a copy of my monthly statement which reflects one IRS diposit which was my tax return. No stimulus diposit was made to my account.
As mentioned before, the IRS traced the diposit to my bank and they say I have to take it up with the bank since the trace dies there.
The bank refuses to help stating if they would have received the money they would have sent it back.
What can I do? Please help, my husband lost his job of 15 years a year ago and we are in need of this money.
Please help and thank you again.
ALG
Hmm, that is difficult. I would write the IRS and ask them to verify deposit of the check, copy of the letter to the bank. I would then write the bank and ask them to verify no additional activity from IRS, copy of the letter to the IRS. See what happens from there?
If you get no satisfactory response, I’d hire an attorney to make some noise at the bank level. Sounds like it could be a missed deposit.
When everyone was getting those $300 stimulus check I was supposed to receieve one. I wasnt living with my mother at the time and i think she cashed it. How can i see if she did? And what can I do about it?
I still need advise or some kind of help. I wrote you in September and made some phone calls you suggested. I talked to the IRS and they told me my information was in investigation. They can keep it there for 45 days before they have to tell me what they need. On the 46th day I was sent a form stating they needed additional information which was the same info I have faxed them 2 times, e-mailed to them once and overnighted it in the mail. I called them again and now they want my drivers license, a utility bill, water bill, property tax bill, insurance bill and a copy of my mortgage statement. All of which I faxed to them. My name is the only name on the warranty deed and all the bills. My parents co-signed on the mortgage cuz in 08 I didn’t show enough income but in 09 I will be making much more a/c of a new job. Am I still entitled to the first home buyer credit even though my parents co-signed on the mortgage loan? Their name is nowhere else!!! I am going into 18 weeks of waiting and need to buy a furnace. You’ll laugh at this too.. they told me no heat was not a hardship. A hardship is if you are being foreclosed, utilities are being shut off or you can’t make your car payment. If those were the cases of hardship why in the world would a bank loan you the money for a home and then the government give you money to get out of debt when you have only owned this home for 3-4 months??? This is all soooo crazy!!!!!!
The IRS put a garnishment on my paycheck . My employer sent them the money along with a few other peoples all on one check . The IRS credited it to the wrong person . I have proof that the payment came out of my paycheck . I have the canceled check from my employer showing it had been cashed . I have faxed this to them and they are still holding me liable til they find the money in their system . It has been 5 weeks and they have not found the money yet . They have frozen my bank accounts once and said it could happen again til they find the money . I have to continue to call them and ask them if they have found it . At that point they say we will put a hold on freezing my bank accounts for another 30 days and hope it will be resolved by then but no garranties . Plus they are going to hold any money owed to me as in tax returns til the money is found or I have paid the money plus interest and penalties . The payment in question was made in august . They froze my bank accounts at Thanksgiving . I faxed them the copies of the cleared checks at that time . It is now Jan 13 and they still havent found it . Can they do this ? What rights do I have as a taxpayer ?