A stimulus check can be likened to free money or a gift. These funds, which are usually provided by the U.S. government, are designed to stimulate the economy by providing individuals with money to spend. Over the past two years, three batches of stimulus checks have been released, with the first coming in March 2020, the second in December 2020, and the third in March 2021. While a stimulus payment can be considered free money, you need to be eligible to benefit from this incentive. Who and who isn’t eligible for stimulus payment?
Individual taxpayers with an Annual Gross Income of $80,000 or more aren’t eligible for a stimulus payment. In a nutshell, high-earning individuals aren’t eligible for a stimulus check.
Not everyone will receive the third stimulus payment. Of course, as an American, you would want to know where you stand regarding this check. Do you qualify? Or are you like the unfortunate ones who aren’t eligible? What do you do if you aren’t eligible? What if stimulus check is wrong? These are the questions you ought to ask before you envision the stimulus funds hitting your account. Lucky for you, I answered some of these questions below.
What Percentage Do Debt Settlement Companies Charge?
Who Is Not Eligible For a Stimulus Check?
Early 2020, when the world was fully enmeshed in the Coronavirus pandemic that took the lives of thousands worldwide, the first batch of stimulus payment was released. With the introduction of this checks, many Americans (especially those with low income) were able to cater to their needs while the virus ranged and the whole of the U.S. was brought to a standstill. Moreover, it was the ideal panacea at a time when money was hard to get due to the compulsory lockdown.
The second stimulus payment, which was released in December 2020, was the ideal Christmas gift for Americans, especially those worst hit by the pandemic. However, just like the first batch, there were any confusion, questions, and complaint regarding some anomalies. Complaints like “I have direct deposit, and I didn’t get paid” were prevalent. On the other hand, there were also questions like “why did I only receive part of my stimulus check?” these questions, I believe, were asked by a novice who is yet to grasp how these payments work.
Not everyone in the U.S. are eligible to receive this check as it is mainly for those with a certain income threshold. With that said, who is not eligible for stimulus payment? Before I reveal that, why don’t we look at what a stimulus check is?
What Is a Stimulus Check?
A stimulus check is a check sent to taxpayers by the United States Government. This check is used to stimulate the economy by providing consumers with money to spend. So far so good, three batches of stimulus payments have been released ever since the novel coronavirus pandemic crippled the economy and displacing several people from their jobs. One was released in early 2020, the second in December 2020, and the third in early 2021. In addition, there are alleged rumors of a fourth, but it is yet to be confirmed as of the time of writing this article.
The IRS issues stimulus checks using the most current information on your file, from your 2019 or 2020 tax returns. If you got stimulus letter but no check, don’t hesitate to contact the IRS.
Who Wouldn’t Get a Stimulus Check?
The stimulus payment isn’t for everyone. Only those who are eligible will receive the funds either by direct deposit or via mail. But who isn’t eligible for this check?
Individuals who aren’t eligible for this benefit are those with an annual gross income (AGI) of $80,000. However, if you earn between $75,000 and $80,000, you could get part of the money.
In addition, immigrants without a Social Security Number wouldn’t get this check.
Others who aren’t eligible are:
- Students who are 17 or older won’t qualify for this check if their parent or guardian claim them as dependent.
- High earners
- Low-income individuals who don’t file tax
- Elderly and disabled individuals (especially those claimed as dependent by their children or someone else).
What Is the Minimum Amount That a Collection Agency Will Sue For?
Who Qualifies for the Third Stimulus Check?
The third stimulus payment, which was released in March 2021 and is worth around $1,200 for each adult and dependent in a household, is not for everyone in the United States. Like the previous checks, this check is only for eligible individuals, or rather, those who qualify. But how do you know if you are one of those fortunate individuals? And how do you know if you are among the unlucky ones?
If you are an individual taxpayer and earn less than $75,000 ( AGI), or if you are the head of the household and earn less than $112,500 (AGI), you qualify for the third stimulus payment. In addition, married couples filing jointly (who earn less than $150,000 Annual Gross Income) are also qualified.
Below is a comprehensive table containing the qualification requirements:
| Qualifying group: | What the law says: |
| Individuals | An AGI of less than $80,000 to qualify for any payment amount |
| Head of household | An AGI of less than $120,000 to qualify for any payment amount |
| Couple filing jointly | An AGI of less than $160,000 to qualify for any payment amount |
| Dependents of all ages | $1,400 apiece, no cap — but only if guardians make under the above limits |
| Families with mixed U.S. citizenship | Provided they meet other qualifications |
| U.S. citizens living abroad | Yes, same as first two checks |
| Citizens of U.S. territories | Yes, same as first two checks, with payments handled by each territory |
| SSDI and other tax nonfilers | Yes, but may require an extra step to claim (more below) |
| Incarcerated people | Yes, included this time |
| People who owe child support | Checks can’t be garnished to cover past due payments (more below) |
| Disqualified groups | Not covered by law |
| Non-US citizens | “Resident aliens” aren’t included |
| Noncitizens who pay taxes | Depends on “mixed-status” rules (more below) |
