21 Jan We didn’t get our full stimulus check. What can we do?

Q. My spouse and I filed taxes jointly but we only got half of the amount we were supposed to get for our stimulus check. What can we do?
— Cash poor

A. The IRS had until Jan. 15 to send out all the second stimulus checks.

If you didn’t receive a check, or if the amount of your check was incorrect, you can still get the money.

You’ll have to file a 2020 tax return and claim a credit called the “Recovery Rebate Credit.”

Remember that eligibility the first stimulus payment was based on your 2018 or 2019 income tax returns, while the second stimulus was based on your 2019 income tax return. If you earned too much, it’s possible that you were not eligible for the full benefits.

Assuming you’re eligible for additional stimulus, you would receive the rest of the funds as a tax refund or it would reduce the amount of your tax liability.

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This story was originally published on Jan. 21, 2021.

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