If you didn’t get payment, you can now ‘Free File’ with the IRS

If you don’t receive your second stimulus payment or if you never received the first stimulus, you will need to file a tax return to get the money.

On Friday, the IRS opened up Free File, free online tax preparation products, so taxpayers can claim a credit that will help them get their payment.

While the site is open, the IRS won’t be accepting electronic returns until Feb. 12 so it can take extra time program and test its system to handle the credits that apply to the second stimulus payments, it said.https://7efd4769829af622da3600cdc3bfb07f.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html

The IRS said leading tax software providers make their online products available for free as part of a 19-year partnership with the agency. There are nine products in English and two in Spanish, the IRS said.

More than 4 million people used the free products last year, the IRS said.

IRS Free File is available to any taxpayer or family that earned $72,000 or less in 2020.

“IRS Free File providers will accept completed tax returns and hold them until they can be filed electronically once the IRS begins processing returns,” the IRS said. “The Free File Fillable Forms, the electronic version of IRS paper forms, also will be available later when the filing season begins. This product is best for people comfortable preparing their own taxes and is safe and secure.”

The IRS said each IRS Free File provider sets its own eligibility rules for products based on age, income and state residency, but those who earn less than $72,000 a year will find at least one product for which they qualify.

The agency said people who did not receive a stimulus payment will need to claim a “Recovery Rebate Credit” on their federal returns to get the benefit.

In 2020, the IRS issued two stimulus payments, known as Economic Impact Payments.

The first payments were up to $1,200 person and $500 per qualifying child. The second payments were up to $600 per eligible person and $600 per qualifying child.

Know that the IRS had until Jan. 15 to send out all second stimulus payments. If you haven’t received one, a check or debit card could still come in the mail.

Use the IRS Get My Payment tool to see if a payment was sent to you.