In the News

SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WHSM) -- The much anticipated federal stimulus money is now appearing in bank accounts around the country.

For those looking for their check, the IRS has set up a new tool to track their portion of the $2.2 trillion coronavirus aid package.

The IRS said they are making direct deposit payments to 80 million people right now, and then will start sending checks out by mail in the coming weeks.

Americans across the country are seeing their bank accounts grow in the federal government response to the coronavirus.

Western Mass News spoke with Richard Pelletier from the Help Retire Group over the phone about what this means for the country.

“I think the government stepping in -- I’ve never seen anything like it, but again, these are very unusual times,” Pelletier said.

According to the IRS, the average American will get $1,200 with an adjusted gross income of up to $75,000.

Married couples who qualify will receive $2,400 if their adjusted gross income combined is less than $150,000.

There's an additional $500 for each child under 17 years old.

Western Mass News reached out to the office of Congressman Richard Neal, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, for a projected timeline for getting paid.

Western Mass News was told this week the IRS is directly depositing the stimulus money to those bank accounts on file from their 2018 or 2018 tax returns.

Within about 10 days, the IRS will send out the second wave of payments.

This is to social security beneficiaries who did not file a tax return in 2018 or 2019.

The first week in May, the IRS will start issuing paper checks, starting with those with the lowest incomes.

They expect to send out 5,000,000 checks per week, which could take up to 20 weeks for all the checks to go out.

On Wednesday, the IRS launched a tool on their website to see when citizens’ money is on the way.

“There’s a spot there that allows you to track your payment so you’ll know the status of your payment, and the process is thorough, and that is supposed to be up and running,” Pelletier said.

For those who haven’t filed taxes in the past two years, the IRS also has a portal to enter information to get a stimulus check.

The portal can be found here.