If you didn’t file tax returns, the IRS may still owe you a $1,200 COVID-19 stimulus check

LOS ANGELES - The Internal Revenue Service is notifying roughly 9 million Americans who have yet to collect their $1,200 stimulus payments that their checks are available.

On Friday, the IRS announced that it will mail letters to people who did not file a return for either 2018 or 2019, but still may qualify for an Economic Impact Payment.

According to IRS internal analysis, these are people who don't typically have a tax return filing requirement because they appear to have very low incomes based on Forms W-2 and 1099, and other third-party statements available to the IRS.

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"The IRS continues to work hard to reach people eligible for these payments," said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "These mailings are the latest step by the IRS to reach as many people as possible for these important payments."

The IRS released a breakdown of the number of people in each state to whom the IRS is sending a letter, so that “state and local leaders can better understand the size of this population in their communities and assist them in claiming these important payments.”

The letter urges recipients to visit IRS.gov before the Oct. 15 deadline to see if they're eligible to claim an Economic Impact Payment and register for the payment in order to receive it by the end of the year.

So far, more than 7 million people have already used the Non-Filers tool to register for a payment.

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The IRS said people can qualify for a payment, even if they don't work or have no earned income. However, low- and moderate-income workers and working families eligible to receive special tax benefits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit, cannot use the Non-Filers tool and will need to file a regular tax return.

The IRS suggests non-filers choose to receive their payment using direct deposit in order to speed up the arrival of payment.

Those who miss the Oct. 15 deadline but are not required to file a federal income tax return may still be eligible to file a 2020 tax return next year to potentially claim a tax credit.

The IRS said the letters are part of the a final stage of the IRS’s effort to reach out and create public awareness on the Economic Impact Payment.

The payments, which were part of the CARES Act passed in March, still offer up to 1,200 for individuals and up to $2,400 for married couples. People with children under age 17 at the end of 2019 can get up to an additional $500 for each child.