If you're missing your stimulus check, you're not alone. The IRS is withholding $842 Million from stimulus payments. How do you know if you're stimulus payment will be withheld?
According to this CNN/Money article, stimulus payments have been withheld from 1.5 million people. Over 50% of the money has gone for back child support.
About 54% of the cash intercepted will be funneled to states for child support, according to Dean Balamaci, a U.S. Treasury Department official. "We are really proud of that," he added.
Of the remaining money most will go to student loans and back taxes.
How Do You Know if Your Money is Withheld?
You should receive a notice (letter) from the IRS stating how much will be withheld and why. You should receive the letter around the time that you receive your other stimulus payment notifications. These notices are supposed to go out before the date you're scheduled to receive your stimulus payment.
The IRS is part of the US Department of Treasury. The IRS must withhold the money because of the Treasury Offset Program. The program allows the US government to withhold payments of any kind to pay federal debts. The debts include child support, student loans and back taxes, among others.
Any debtor whose stimulus check is eligible to be absorbed by the program has already received notice that he or she is delinquent on a debt, according to a Treasury spokesperson.
"These are all situations where some attempt has been made to collect the bills on a voluntary basis," said another spokesperson for the Treasury. The program matches payments due with debts owed by Social Security number and last name, according to a spokesperson.
So if you've had payments withheld, you should have received a notice. Also the IRS claims that someone has already contacted you about these debts.
This just goes to show that you can't fight the government. Eventually they'll find you and they'll get their money.
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Comments
21 Comments so far
7 weeks ago $680 was taken from my ex out of his stimulas check for back child support. Im still waiting and no one seems to have any answers as to where it is, how is that helping my child?
I got my stimulos check, but, my daughter never got ont. Does she need to call the IRS? She filed her income taxes on time.
Catherine Sprague,
Yes, If she doesn't get her check soon, she should call the IRS.
I know several people that owe for back child support. These people have received their check. But with us they have taken the entire amount and only one of us owe. But if we file the injured spouse form. We will end up owing taxes. Because I did not make enough last year to file seperately. Why are they taking the check for some people and not others who owe the same amount if not more?
Teresa,
Are you sure you'll end up owing taxes? I would talk to a tax pro about that one.
I have do not owe anything and still have not received any payment. The online calculator shows I should get $2100 and it should be mailed out on 6/13. Here it is now a month later and no money, that's our government for you.
Mine has apparently been withheld because I e-filed and stupidly sent in my tax check of $200 I owed along with a COPY of the 1040 I e-filed. Apparently this means I filed twice according to the IRS person I got hold of after 45 mins of waiting. FYI, cashed the check first week of April. Got numerous notices saying it's coming, then… nothing. I have to wait 90 days and then if not received, call back again. How is this stimulating anything???!
yes we received letter in the first week of june. saying we would recieve $900 on the 27th june. then on the back page that they are withholding the money. why? its very different if we owe them money. this is now 21st of july. and no word about anything in the mail. i would like the money to pay for gas and food. what are they playing at. have the goverment ran out of money. would like a check like tomorrow thankyou
ps cant call irs. because you get the run around joke. nobody is there. and even the email stuff is a joke. what a nightmare. stimulus crap……
i am still waiting for my stemulus check and i,m wondering when i might receive. thank you would appreciate a answer.
i havn,t received my stemulus check yet and would like to know when i might expect it thank you
Hazel,
I really don't know. You'll have to contact the IRS for that information.
See this article for more info:
http://wealthyreader.com/articles/when-will-i-get-my-stimulus-check/
Still waiting, both for the check and now on hold for 1+ hour with the IRS.
IRS site says we're getting one, even says it was mailed on July 11th. What a joke, and my wife mentioned to me about working for the IRS as I'm currently unemployed and looking for a job. NO WAY I want to be even remotely associated with this dysfunctional government entity.
my ex owes me back child support i was told by my lawyer i would receive is rebate check in late august and now it is late september like to know where are the checks that you took back from dead beats fathers thank you
THE STIMULUS IS FOR THE GOVERNMENT, AND THE COURTS SYSTEM. REAL PEOPLE ARE NOT GETTING ANY STIMULUS. WHAT A BIG JOKE IRS AND TAXES.
DONT SEND OUT S#@%.
What numb nuts, You grip about not getting free money. Grow up this is americam what do you expect
I just happened to check this site after looking for info on my child support case, reading others comments I wonder if someone could explain to me why our government is so screwed up? It's supposed to be there for the people that elected them. You know it really does suck because I've been going through the state to recieve my child support payments my son is going to be 20 in 2 months and the last payment weve recieved was approximately 6 years or longer the deadbeat can have 2 kids that I know of but can come up with excuse after excuse and literally get away with it my brother was a week late on one payment and was arrested and this piece of SH T can get away with it. Then to read info that if you owe the government money look at that they have no problem collecting well taking what little bit you might get! how's this right. Unfortunately I have never filed taxes because when I was married he did everything, and after our divorce I just never filed because I didnt know how or because I haven'tbeen able to work after 2 very serious auto accidents. Its just a shame to know that know matter what laws or rules the U.S A. has no one follows or obeys them and the government can't see what they've done the only people that will suffer are our children.I guess its good I havent filed because Uncle Sam would probably never mail my check or say I owe them money. So good luck to all.
Here it is February 4, 2009 and we still haven't received our stimulus check. They sent us a letter stating we owed money; we sent returns back and got a letter stating it was revised and we didn't owe, and still nothing! We are both retired; I am on ss disability and we need the money. Can anyone help? If we call, no one answers forever.
How can you complain about others not fullfilling their obligations if you have never taken the responsibillity to file your own taxes. It is every Americans responsibillity to file taxes, even mentally disabled people who recieve government support do it so I believe you can too. Yes maybe if you file taxes the government will say you owe money. Just like your ex who owes back support. Yes everyone should have the same rules.
How can you possibly rely on funds that may never come. Pretend they are not giving you free money and be surprised when you get it. Back child support is definitely something you are deserving of but the stimulus is a gift, get on with your life & why bitch because you "need" it. We all are struggling!
My ex-husband owes $48,000 in arrears, and I am sure his stimulus check was withheld since he gets VA disability. What I would like to know is when I am getting that check. I know it is supposed to be held for 6 months, but it is now the end of December. Did anyone else receive their (back child support) stimulus checks yet? Let me know.