By Kyle Anderson
Staff Writer
In the wake of Covid-19, many people were left either dead or jobless. If you are reading this, chances are you’re one of the two. If you are a zombie, go away. I am not writing this for you. Go find some poor kid to chomp on or something. If you are jobless, then you can stay because I am writing this for you. Let’s discuss how to discover your stimulus check eligibility, and how to go about acquiring one.
How do I get a stimulus check?
If you filed your taxes last year, you are signed up for the check. Does that mean you will actually get one? Not necessarily (we’ll dive into that later). You must also have a social security number so the government knows you are a real person and not a fake one. Basically, as long as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) knows you exist, you will get a check. It’s that simple. The IRS also has a toll-free stimulus check information resource which can be accessed by calling (800) 919-9835.
Am I eligible for a stimulus check?
If you want to know whether you are eligible, here is a checklist:
- First, you need to have filed your taxes in 2019.
- Once you did that, congrats! You can probably get the check. But stay tuned for possible outliers.
With that being said, there are a few things that stop you from getting the check.
- If you owe child support, you will not receive a stimulus check, but the person to whom you owe money will.
- If you are currently in jail, you will not get a check (and if you do get one, the IRS demands you send it back right away) (also if you’re in jail, how are you reading this?)
- If you are under the age of 17 and counted as a dependent on your parent (or guardian)’s taxes, you will not be getting the 600 dollars. The parent/guardian will be receiving the check.
I asked Alex Davidson, a Hammond sophomore, whether he was eligible to receive the check and this was his answer: “Not directly because I’m a child, but my mom will make an extra $600 on her check.”
Essentially, if you did your taxes, are not a child, AND you are not listed as a dependent on someone else’s taxes, you should be getting the stimulus check.
When will I be getting the check?
It depends. You may have already gotten one if you were eligible, but there is no concrete timeline. Some people may be getting a check as we speak. There are a lot of variables involved with the distribution of these checks, so you may just have to wait and see.
How much will I be getting?
As of right now, each individual will receive a base of $600. Parents with children will be getting an additional $600 for each child they have claimed as a dependent. These numbers may change with the new presidency, as President Biden has proposed giving parents getting upwards of a grand for each child they have claimed, but I have yet to see that made official(so don’t get your hopes up).
Determining who can and will be getting a stimulus check is pretty straightforward. Be of adult age and do not be a dependent on someone else’s taxes. Following the simple advice of growing up will eventually ensure you that sweet, sweet government money.
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