Stimulus check direct deposit is the quickest way to get your $1,200 economic impact payment from the IRS. You can certainly hold out for a physical check, but you could be waiting quite a while.
Just how long could it take for the US Postal Service to send you your stimulus check if you haven't set up stimulus check direct deposit? A House Committee on a Ways & Means report filed by Chairman Richard E. Neal notes that "paper checks will be issued at a rate of about 5 million per week, which could take up to 20 weeks."
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If you know how to set up stimulus check direct deposit, you can get your payment more quickly. But taxpayers only had until 12 p.m. on Wednesday, May 13 to arrange for a direct deposit payment, so it's too late now to set it up.
That said, there could be a stimulus check 2 in the works. If a second round of economic impact payments is approved, taxpayers could be eligible to apply for direct deposit once again.
If that's the case, follow the steps below.
Before you get started, make sure you have your information handy. That includes your social security number, your Adjusted Gross Income for 2018 or 2019 and your basic banking info you can find on a check, or at your bank's website.
If you've already completed the below steps, and are trying to figure out when you're getting your stimulus check, the IRS says you should be able to check, depending on how long it's been since you filed. Provided your electronic transfer data was entered before 9 a.m. PT on any given Tuesday, your payment info will be ready by the following Saturday.
Once that window is completed, visit the IRS Get My Payment page, tap the blue Get My Payment button, tap OK on the page confirming authorized use and on the following page enter your Social Security number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), followed by your your date of birth and your location information. On the following screen, you'll see payment status, including whether or not it's been scheduled ... or if the service can't yet determine your status.
How to sign up for stimulus check direct deposit
1. Open https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment
2. Click Get My Payment.
3. Click OK.
4. Enter your Social Security Number (SSN), date of birth (you can manually write it in, in the MM/DD/YYYY format), street address and ZIP/postal code. Then click Continue.
5. Click Enter Bank Information.
6. Fill out your 2018 or 2019 tax return information, with your Adjusted Gross Income (Line 8b on your 2019 Form 1040 or 1040-SR, or Line 7 on your 2018 Form 1040), and details on if you received a refund or owed money.
7. Enter your banking information for the deposit. Your routing number is the 9-digit string in the bottom left corner of your checks. The bank account number is to the right of the routing number.
You've set up Direct Deposit with the IRS, for expedited delivery of your stimulus check!
How to get banking info without a checkbook
But what if you can't find your checkbook? Visit your bank's website or download their app. Once you sign in, you can find these details in your account information.
