Seriously...this IRS stimulus check stuff is bullshit. DH and I did our taxes this year via TurboTax, submitted them as an e-file (like we have always done) and got our refund check directly deposited into our account. Yipee, and the process took about 2 weeks total before everything was said and done and money was in hand. Now, we did this back in the beginning to middle of February when the talks of the stimulus check were just being started and released. So, the stimulus rebate first stated that "you will receive your stimulus in the exact same way as you received your refund". Awesome! DH and I did direct deposit, and based on the schedule that was published by the IRS we should of had our check by this Friday (based off the last two digits of DH's social). So, I'm hunting around the internet today and see an article about the stimulus check, etc, etc and then go to the IRS website to see the status of my stimulus check. Well, the website says it hasn't been sent out yet and there is no record of it within the past week. Interesting....I know we are getting one (I've already done THAT worksheet via the IRS). Then it goes to list reasons why you may not have received it and one of the reasons is because processing/filing fees were deducted from your refund from a tax preparer and/or you did a rapid refund (btw, this was NOT part of the original stimulus stipulations and it was added on as time got closer to giving them out).
Well, for those who have ever done TurboTax you of course have to pay for the little box you buy, and to e-file your taxes there is a 15.00 fee. So this got me thinking....we didn't actually go to a tax preparer who deducted their fees etc, and we didn't get a rapid refund, but would THIS affect my stimulus check even though I did do DD and SHOULD be under the DD schedule. So, I go to TurboTax and sure enough I find out that my check will be paper and NOT DD. I am LIVID and must find out why because this is not what was originally told to me when I filed back in the beginning of 2008, so I do a little more searching. As it turns out....it isn't the TurboTax fee that is preventing my check from being here this week, it is the fact I opted to do DD through TT who uses a bank, SBB&T, as a third party to get your refund deposited directly. SBB&T charges a 30.00 fee for this process which you can opt to have deducted from your refund (which is what TT recommends you do) or you can pay the fee via your credit card/debit/check card, but either way you get direct deposit. HOWEVER, if you opt to have the 30.00 fee deducted from your refund this is considered a "preparer" fee, and you will receive a paper check. This was NOT told to any of the TT users who filed before March 20th, and everyone who just found out about it is LIVID like myself. Number one, this was an additional stipulation after I had already filed, when I agreed to use SBB&T as a third party to get my DD it did NOT say it would delay my stimulus check, number 3 this method was what TT recommended for DD, and number 4 even though I had to give all of MY banking information to SBB&T to send my direct deposit too the government is NOT acknowledging this as a direct deposit (even though it was originally stated that you would get your stimulus in the exact same way you received your refund). Needless to say I am pissed because I just found this out today and was expecting my check by the end of this week....now (because of DH's ss) it won't be here until July 4th at the earliest.
Seriously, how is it fair that the government is making everyone think this stimulus check is so great when in essence they are just giving us back our own money we deserve in the first place and THEN find ways to screw over the people who actually file early by doing all of these "add-ons". Of course had I known this was going to happen I would have printed out my worksheets and mailed them in with my banking information on them for DD like I had done in the past, but no because I used TT, they said this method was the preferred way to go and would still be considered normal DD.
I sure hope I made sense the first time around because I'm not going back and reading this again right now =/
5 comments:
That does suck, that you were expecting it now but aren't getting it until later! Very disappointing.
Yeah I heard about this last week and it does suck. But on a brighter note, your stimulus check is based on your 2008 filing status and not 2007. So you should be able to note this on next year's returns and get an extra $300 back for your baby.
That really sucks! Now I guess I'm glad I'm too cheap to file electronically. I use H&R Block's TaxCut software b/c it's cheaper and I always mail it in.
But I totally agree, that's crap that their pulling this--but I would blame TT
Thank you! We've been trying to figure out where ours is too and just checked the IRS site today to find out it won't be mailed until mid-June. We used TT with DD as well so now it all makes sense.
Stupid government crap.
We had the same problem---we were counting on the check 2 weeks ago and had plans for it and then nothing!!! I too am seriously annoyed with the govt and wish there was a way to complain....but so far no such luck!!
Sarah (chuckandsarah)
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