The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) urges qualified individuals to claim their $1,200 stimulus checks by Oct.15. IRS also set deadlines for the application. 

(Photo : Reutersconnect)

The IRS urges qualified individuals in the country to claim their stimulus checks by Oct.15. It is estimated that around nine million individuals are still about to receive the stimulus checks but did not have it because they thought they are not qualified. 

Last week, the IRS issued a news release urging nearly nine million individuals to sign up and claim their $1,200 checks. In fact, the IRS sent mails to these individuals in an attempt to reach them. These are people either did not realize that they can claim stimulus checks or did not know the process of claiming it.

The IRS clarified that it does not matter if you are unemployed, did not earn any income at all, homeless, and did not file any tax for years. What is important right now is that you are still eligible for $1,200 stimulus checks under the CARES Act. 

Those who are qualified should use the IRS Non-Filers Tool by Oct.15 to claim your stimulus checks. There were confusions during the first round of the application in claiming stimulus checks during the first round. It led to nearly nine million individuals who did not receive the stimulus checks. 

The IRS added that the stimulus checks are also intended for those who have low-income, no-income, unemployed, and those who have become homeless. If you have not yet received your stimulus checks and you fall under the categories mentioned above, then you have to register now.

The IRS also asserted and clarified that there is absolutely no requirement that you must earn an income or pay taxes in order to get a stimulus check. According to the IRS, U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and qualifying resident aliens who meet the following guidelines are eligible for stimulus checks:

  • You have a valid social security number,
  • You cannot be claimed as a dependent of another taxpayer, and
  • You have an adjusted gross income of $75,000 or less if single; $112,500 or less if the head of household; $150,000 or less if married filing a joint return.
  • Reduced payments are available for those who earn more than the above amounts but still earn less than $99,000 per year or less for individuals, $136,500 per year or less for the head of household, and $198,000 per year or less for married filing jointly.

To make sure that the nearly nine million qualified individuals, who are about to receive their stimulus checks, will receive the payments, the IRS developed the Non-Filers Tool in partnership with the Free File Alliance. The tool is available in both English and Spanish to guide more people in filing their claims most especially Latinos and Hispanics. 

Typically, people who earn less than $12,200 or less are not required to file taxes and married couples who earned less than $12,400 are not required to file as well. However, they still qualify to receive stimulus checks up to $2,400. Here is some important information that you should know:

  • Use the Non-Filers tool to register for a stimulus check if you earned $12,200 or less as an individual or $24,400 or less as a married couple.
  • Use the Non-Filers tool to register for a stimulus check even if you didn't earn any income at all.
  • Use the Non-Filers tool to register for a stimulus check even if you are homeless.
  • Use the Non-Filers tool to get a stimulus check even if you have been unemployed for a long time or have never worked at all.

Make sure that you file your claim by Oct.15 to receive your stimulus checks. If you fail to claim it, you will still receive it next year as a credit when you file your income tax return. 

Check these out!