I’ve received a huge number of questions over the IRS stimulus payments. One of the most frequently asked questions is: How much will I get? Most of the questions I’ve received come from people on disability, retirement or in other lower income situations.

Please see my article on the stimulus payment details for general questions on the payment.

First of all you may qualify for a payment ranging from $0 to $600. How much you get depends on your income and your tax liability. Make too much or too little and you could receive little or no payment.

Low Income

You have to have at least $3000 in qualifying income to receive a payment. If you earn at least $3000 from a job or self employment, combat pay, railroad retirement or Social Security, you should qualify.

Social Security Disability or Retirement and Vet Benefits

If you receive Social Security (SSI) or Veteran’s (VA) benefits you can count the income towards your stimulus payment. However, you need to file a tax return even if you normally do not. You need to file a return so the IRS can determine your eligibility.

Filing a return should not increase your tax liability. You won’t have to pay taxes if you usually do not. The tax return is simply used to calculate your eligibility.

Your likely benefit will be $300. If you’re married filing jointly and your only income is at least $3000 from Social Security then you should receive $600, $300 for each of you.

Examples from IRS Site:

2) Married couple with no children, no wages, veterans’ payments of $2,000, social security benefits of $2,000, no federal income tax liability.
Rebate is $600

3) Married couple with no children, no wages, no social security benefits, veterans’ payments of $4,000, no federal income tax liability.
Rebate is $600

Source: http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=179165,00.html

IRS page on Veteran’s (VA) Benefits

IRS page on Social Security (SSI) Benefits

Low Income Wage Earners

If you work but don’t normally file an income tax return, you’ll want to file one this year. If you have at least $3000 in earned (qualifying) income you should receive a check.

Make sure you file a return. Again, Filing a return should not increase your tax liability. If you don’t normally pay taxes, you won’t have to this year. You have to file a tax return just so the IRS can make sure you qualify for the payment.

Military Personal – Combat Personal

Combat pay is not taxed as income. However, this year if you want to qualify for the stimulus payment you should file a tax return by October 15th. Otherwise you can claim the stimulus payment on next year’s (2008) tax return.

The IRS says:

Military personnel who normally would not file an income tax return because their 2007 income is not taxable can file a simple Form 1040A with the IRS if they want to receive the economic stimulus payment. They should report their nontaxable combat pay on Line 40b of the Form 1040A to show at least $3,000 in qualifying income. The Department of Defense lists the amount of excluded combat pay, along with the designation, “Code Q,” in Box 12 of Forms W-2.

Source: http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=180339,00.html

Other Disability or Aid Programs

The IRS is pretty clear about what qualifies as income:

  • Earned income
  • Social security benefits (including social security disability payments)
  • Certain railroad retirement benefits
  • Nontaxable combat pay
  • Certain veterans’ benefits

So if you don’t have at least $3000 from any of these sources then it appears you’re not going to get a stimulus payment. However, if you don’t qualify this year, you may qualify next year. The IRS will let you take the credit next year on your taxes, if you qualify next year (tax year 2008).

More Information

Please see my detailed explanation of the the amount stimulus payment is determined if you have more questions.

IRS handout for people who don’t normally file a tax return (PDF)

Calculator

Use the calculator at the IRS site to estimate your payments. You will need your tax return handy so you'll want to complete that first.

The Calculator: IRS Economic Stimulus Payment Calculator

Tags                


Related Posts

Comments

46 Comments so far

  1. Details of the Economic Stimulus Package Payments - Wealthy Reader on April 14, 2008 9:40 am

    [...] IRS Stimulus Payment: How Much Will You Get? [...]

  2. roberto on April 28, 2008 8:04 pm

    hi my name is roberto ayala and i want to know how much well not exatlyhow much but more or less of the money i qualify for..i have two childrens and well yeah thats my question please send me a message with the answer i you can

  3. Chris on April 28, 2008 9:57 pm

    Roberto,
    You can find that out by using the IRS tax calculator. You need a copy of your tax return. Go to the tax calculator at http://www.irs.gov/app/espc/

  4. arlene on April 29, 2008 10:29 am

    hello everyone ,,,
    i filed tax2007, which is direct deposit .. after i received my income tax return i closed my bank account.
    then about the address were using P.O box now? which is the record of HR block physical address they dont have P.o BOX ADDRESS?
    is their any chance that we can still economic stimulus payment?

  5. linda garland on April 29, 2008 10:30 am

    we both draw social security disability benefits, but on our 1040 after calculating the social security info, we did not havae to pay taxes on that money so it does not show up on the return, how will the irs know we draw social security?

  6. Chris on April 29, 2008 10:38 am

    Arlene,
    What address did you use on your tax return? Your payment will be sent to that address.

  7. Chris on April 29, 2008 10:43 am

    Linda,
    Did you have enough income to qualify without social security?

    You can use the IRS calculator to find out: http://www.irs.gov/app/espc/. If not you may be able to file an amended return.

  8. Leslie on April 29, 2008 1:10 pm

    I only made about $20,000 last year. I am a dependent and did file my taxes. Will I be getting the $300 or how will I know. I tried to use the IRS caculator but it's not making sense. Thanks!

  9. arlene on April 29, 2008 1:21 pm

    they ask physical address…
    the HR block personnel told me they dont need P.O box….

  10. Chris on April 29, 2008 1:44 pm

    Leslie,
    If you can be claimed as a dependent then that person who claimed you will get the money, not you. However if you are over 17(18+) then they won't get the money either.

    Are you sure someone can claim you as a dependent?

  11. Dan on April 29, 2008 9:12 pm

    Would a person who meets the income requirements still receive a stimulus payment even if an extension is filed?

  12. Chris on April 29, 2008 10:09 pm

    Dan,
    You have to actually file your taxes before you receive a payment.

  13. Michele on May 2, 2008 11:22 am

    I am married with no kids and my husband earns 36k (only 30k is taxable) and I don't work. We filed jointly but I still don't understand how much we will get. I read that it doesn't matter if only 1 spouse worked, its the total income that matters when you file jointly. We paid over 1600 in taxes, which I thought meant we would get 1200 back in the rebate, but then I heard that the tax witheld is not the same as tax liability.

    So what's our tax liability? What will we get back?

  14. Lucinda on May 2, 2008 4:28 pm

    My son is 18, I claimed him as a dependant. I know I will not get 300 for him-will he receive 300?

  15. Nick Sar on May 2, 2008 10:51 pm

    Hi, I filed married joint return on my taxes and had just got my rebate for $1,200. I also use my mom who is on social security disability and my dad who is on social security as well and I claim them as my dependents. Do they qualify for a rebate? And do I have to file for both of them to get the return. I heard if anyone claim them as a dependent on their tax return, that this will not qualify them. Which is true?

  16. PA on May 9, 2008 9:54 am

    I am married with one child. I am a full time student and only my husband worked. How much should we be getting snice I don't work and only my husband worked.

  17. Chris on May 9, 2008 1:36 pm

    PA,
    Did you try the calculator at the IRS site: http://www.irs.gov/app/espc/

  18. Polly on May 9, 2008 5:37 pm

    My husband and I filed a joint return for 2007, with close to 10,000 AGI. My parents still claimed me as a dependent, but we claimed the exemption for my husband. Are we still eligible for his $600, or are both lost because I can be claimed?

  19. Chris on May 9, 2008 6:59 pm

    Polly,
    He shoudl still qualify.

  20. Crystal on May 9, 2008 9:10 pm

    Michele,
    Your tax liability is what you actually paid in taxes this year. Not what was withheld, but the portion you actaully had to pay in.

  21. Dragana on May 12, 2008 2:19 pm

    Hi, I filed my taxes this year but my mom still claimed me as a dependant. Do I still qualify for the rebate?

  22. Chris on May 12, 2008 2:39 pm

    Dragana,
    Sorry, no.

  23. jose tamayo on May 12, 2008 7:51 pm

    we recived $1900 a couple of days ago, I just recived a letter in the mail saying I would get $2100 how do I find out what happen to the $200 missing

  24. Chris on May 12, 2008 8:50 pm

    Jose,
    Your best bet is to contact your local IRS office: http://www.irs.gov/localcontacts/index.html
    Thanks

  25. Cristen on May 13, 2008 9:08 pm

    I'm a 20 year old full time student. I made over $3,000 last year. My parents can still claim me, but did not. Do I qualify for the refund?

  26. Chris on May 13, 2008 9:23 pm

    Cristen,
    No as long as someone else CAN claim you, you are not eligible.

  27. Carolyn on May 17, 2008 3:27 pm

    I don't normally file income tax but in order to qualify for the stimulus refund I downloaded form 1040A and mailed it on February 28, 2008 showing the amount of social security benefits received in 2007 but made two errors…I didn't check the filing status(single)or exemptions. After realizing my mistake, and not knowing what to do, I sent in another 1040A on May 2, this time showing the filing status and exemptions. Now, I think I should have filed a Form 1040X. What can I do to correct this comedy of errors? Is there hope for me or can I forget about receiving a stimulus payment?

  28. Chris on May 17, 2008 3:33 pm
  29. marcy on May 22, 2008 8:51 am

    I on on SSI, i am also a full-time student, i have no income other than SSI, however i do pay taxes on tuition, etc… will i be eligible for a stimulus check?

  30. Chris on May 22, 2008 9:02 am

    Marcy,
    According to the IRS:

    Supplemental Security Income (SSI) does not count as qualifying income for the stimulus payment.

  31. quetzy on May 22, 2008 10:12 am

    i would like to know why is it ok for the irs to make mistakes? if we the tax payers make such a mistake we pay a very high price for a little mistake we make. i don't feel it's ok for the irs to just say we appologize when a lot of people work very hard to just hear that the irs almost robbed them. do u think it's fair?

  32. Felix Uduo on May 29, 2008 6:40 pm

    I would like to know, how may I get stimulus check because I have changed my address,and my address is:
    — address removed –
    I will be happy to contuct me back,thank so much and God bless you.

  33. Chris on May 30, 2008 9:30 am

    Felix Uduo,
    You need to put in a change of address request with the post office.

  34. Cynthia Bentancourt on May 30, 2008 1:56 pm

    HOW MUCH WILL I BE GETTING BACK ON THE STIMULUS PAYMENT.

  35. ida s pugh on June 21, 2008 9:19 am

    change in addresss can be done

  36. ida s pugh on June 21, 2008 3:00 pm

    how much will i get back

  37. ida s pugh on June 21, 2008 3:03 pm

    how can i get a internet form to change my address now.

  38. chris on June 30, 2008 8:50 am

    my husband and i filed married joint, i don't work and he made about 37,000. we have 2 children. would i get the $1800 or $1200

  39. Chris on June 30, 2008 11:14 am

    chris,
    Grab a copy of your tax return and go to http://www.irs.gov/app/espc/

    That site can tell you exactly what you can expect.
    Good Luck!

  40. Phil Elewski on July 12, 2008 2:08 pm

    My wife and I are both retired and in our 70s. We live on Social Security and some 401k's and a modest (under 400 per month) pension. We are paying our own way and have high medical bills.
    Why did we recieve only the Tax we paid as a rebate and not the full (rebate) amount, while those who did not file can file a blank return and get the full amount?
    Please respond to my email address.

  41. Chris on July 12, 2008 10:11 pm

    Phil Elewski,
    The payment is based on tax liability. You can't receive more back than you paid in.

  42. betty barnes on April 16, 2009 12:27 pm

    i am on ssi and my husband is getting his unemployment i will be getting the second stimulas check but what i want to know is do i get one as a married couple?

  43. Pat on April 21, 2009 12:12 am

    My husband and file jointly and receive social security and I had a income this but no tax was taken out have two children in school age 18,and 14. Will we get the SS stimulus pay or the income stimulus pay. If so how much will we get Please help me out Thank You

  44. herbert jackson on April 22, 2009 1:34 pm

    I got notice of my check but my wife did not get hers she receives social security but sheis working also.

  45. mary on June 9, 2009 9:50 pm

    I am on social security. My husband earns over 70000.00 working. we file joint taxes (85% of my ss is taxable).
    I received $250 stimulus….shouldnt we get a total of $800 between us?

  46. ashia on February 24, 2010 1:36 am

    what happens if you file your taxes as not being a dependent but your are a dependent

Name (required)

Email (required)

Website

Speak your mind