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The Economic Stimulus checks have gone out to most of the nation by now, providing a nice little cash infusion in hopes of kick-starting the economy. But what happens if you haven’t gotten yours yet? Did they forget you? Send it to the wrong address? Still waiting and worried it hasn’t arrived?

When Should it Get Here?

If you filed electronically and haven’t gotten your check in the mail yet, it might be time to wonder why. All the electronic checks were scheduled to be send/delivered by May 16, 2008, so it either hit your bank account via Direct Deposit, or something happened.

If you’re waiting for a paper check, you still have quite a while before you need to start worrying, based on your SSN.

Note: People who file a return after April 15th will receive their checks later than the above schedule.

How ELSE Can I Miss My Check?

There are a few ways that you can STILL not receive the stimulus check that you need to keep in mind. Other than the normal "delayed, government speed" or "sent to wrong address". You should also receive, separate from the check, both a form notifying you that you are to receive a check, and a form describing how much you are to receive. I got the first one (barely) before the stimulus money arrived, and the second form a couple of weeks AFTER the money got here.

You Owe the Government - Uncle Sam, and the state governments have LONG memories for people that don’t pay their taxes. There are currently 39 states that use what’s called ‘deferment’ to seize money, like tax returns, in order to offset previously owed taxes. This deferment is registered directly  with the Department of Treasury, so any checks they cut for you, are first screened to see if they should go to someone else (for some reason). If you owe the federal government or any state government any back taxes, don’t expect a check.

Also, if you haven’t FILED for a year in which you show income (but would not have had to pay ANYTHING after adjustments) the government can also automatically hold money, based on what THEY calculate you owe. This happened to me some years back, in which they held up $5000 in refunds, while waiting for me to pay for a tax return that never got there. I actually got back $50 for that year, but didn’t follow up when I never got the refund check. Turns out THEY never got the tax form I mailed. Long story short, it took nearly 4 months to get things cleared up, during which time they kept my money.

You Owe Child Support -  Along with governments, the legal system can put a deferment on any checks coming out of the Treasury as well. If you’re not paying child support, odds are you aren’t going to get a check either.

Checking on the Check

If neither of these apply, and you STILL haven’t gotten a check when you were supposed to, it’s time to start asking around to find out what’s the deal. A couple of sites to visit to find out where the check has gone;

• Stimulus Payments: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
• Where’s My Stimulus Payment?

Don’t give up, and be persistent about getting what’s owed to you. The government is giving you this little early Christmas present, but that doesn’t mean they don’t make mistakes too. Know how much you’re owed, and when it’s supposed to arrive.

Did you get your stimulus check, but had to use ‘extreme’ measures? Share your story and help our other readers!

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