Stimulus checks being deposited in the wrong accounts

Can’t find your stimulus check? It might be in the wrong bank account.

Sent out by the IRS on Jan. 4, millions are expected to receive their stimulus checks via direct deposit or in the mail by the end of the month.

But, taxpayers who use services like H&R Block or TurboTax discovered their relief payments are being sent to the wrong bank accounts.

The IRS Get My Payment website may display an account number you don’t recognize. If you took a Refund Transfer, it may be reflecting that account number. Check your 2019 return to confirm.

— H&R Block (@HRBlock) January 5, 2021

According to H&R Block, these accounts are temporary accounts created for customers who pay their service fees with their 2019 tax refund. These temporary accounts are also referred to as ‘Emerald Cards’. It’s alleged the IRS mistakenly sent the stimulus checks to these accounts instead of the eligible party’s checking account.

H&R Block tweeted that they are currently working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible, but stimulus patients could be delayed up to two weeks.

Emerald Card customers can call 1-866-353-1266 for more information. H&R Block says wait time may be long, but you can also send questions to their Twitter account @HRBlockAnswers.

Some stimulus check may have been sent back to the IRS if the temporary account was already closed. H&R Block says this happened to less than 1% of its customers. However, if this applies to you, your check will likely be sent by the IRS within the month.

To track your second stimulus check, visit the IRS’s Get My Payment website for more.