Covid 19 Stimulus Checks

[Linda-Sunshine]

What should you do if the IRS tool says it cannot determine your eligibility at this time and you meet every criteria?

[abctax55]

Consider developing a bit of patience?

The site rolled out this morning...there are issues.

[IRonMaN]

---

@abctax55 wrote:

Consider developing a bit of patience?

The site rolled out this morning...there are issues.

---

Does anybody have patience these days?  We were getting calls this morning from clients (maybe soon to be former clients?) worried that other people they work with have received their payment but where is theirs?   If it was some of our lower income folks, I would cut them some slack but the calls that are coming are from folks that haven't been affected at all by this whole mess and are pushing the phase out range of the payments.  I'm really beginning to develop a negative attitude about humans.  Ok, I already had a bit of a negative attitude but this is making it worser.

[qbteachmt]

@Linda-Sunshine 

Are you using Intuit's ProSeries tax preparation program for your clients? If not, and this is a personal guidance question, you are lost on the internet. You asked this question in a forum meant for How To Use the professional tax preparation program that you would use to prepare your clients' tax returns.

You will find the TurboTax community is a better resource for personal tax and IRS issues and updates:

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/discussions/discussion/03/302

[abctax55]

 I'm really beginning to develop a negative attitude about humans.  Ok, I already had a bit of a negative attitude but this is making it worser.

Yep...  the seamier side of some clients is showing.  I don't like it.  I've fired one already, and several more are headed for the CTOBET list.  The silver lining (?) of this crisis is going to be kicking the attitude cases to the curb.

[TAXOH]

So far the clients that have called here understand after we calm them down and explain stuff to them.

But most of the ones calling are not hurting right now like others are that are unable to work and have no income. 

[chasetax]

would like to know what CTOBET stands for pls, also I believe we have patients (that don't know they need help) not patience- - can't understand the rabid actions clients are exhibiting

[dkh]

I had a client (self-employed not affected by stay at home order) call yesterday wanting me to finish his return as soon as possible. He knows he will owe this year and is well aware of the due date extension.  I told him I was focusing on returns with refunds to help those that are unemployed.  Still wants his asap because he has home projects in process, wants to be sure he doesn't spend too much of what he has saved back.   I have no words for people like him.  Well, actually I do but can't post them here.

[abctax55]

My own internal acronym to identify clients (patients?) that have fallen out of favor.

[qbteachmt]

I cut everyone a little slack in these times:

"he has home projects in process, wants to be sure he doesn't spend too much of what he has saved back"

He's either keeping a crew busy or at the least, buying products somewhere. Perhaps he isn't good at planning or project management, though.

[Linda-Sunshine]

I am using Pro-Series. I have a client who has a carpet cleaning business (schedule C) and he has not gotten any calls to clean carpets since this started. They know of several people who have gotten their checks. They could really use this and went on the IRS website to use the tool to see about theirs. It stopped at not being able to verify if they were eligible. Thinking they may have missed something I went on and tried it. Worked for me personally, but when I entered their information I got the same response. I was trying to ascertain if anyone else had come up against this issue yet. Don't always assume that other people are doing something wrong, are impatient, etc without knowing the facts!

[abctax55]

Your more complete explanation doesn't change my answer.

Patience, and the program just rolled out this a.m.  Chatter around the internet is yes, a LOT of folks are getting that message.

[abctax55]

And, generally, when posting on a board for professional tax preparers, questions are couched in "a client" terms.  When the limited initial question seems to be referencing "my" return, and given the fact that Intuit refuses to do anything to keep DIYers out of this place, the appearance is that one isn't working on a client issue. 

For that assumption, I apologize.  

The regulars here (and we are ALL volunteers) are just as swamped attempting to help clients & get returns completed.  Filtering thru DIY'er questions to find questions we can answer to actually help fellow tax pro's bugs us.  A lot...

[qbteachmt]

I don't see how anyone has anything to apologize for; I specifically asked "are you using" and offered an "if not" redirect. And this topic isn't in the "covid-19" forum; it's the Pro Series section, which is for preparing taxes.

[cthomas428]

Linda -- Yes I am having the same problem with a number of clients. I am finding that anyone who owed money on their return (even though they paid it using a bank account) are getting that same message of "Payment Information Not Available." This occurs whether or not they are self-employed. I have at least 5 clients in this same boat and all 5 are eligible for the check and have either been laid off or lost all their customers and are really hurting. Easy to recommend patience when you've got money flowing in.  I believe it is a glitch in the programming and have no idea when it will get straightened out. It is indeed frustrating.

[qbteachmt]

This: "even though they paid it using a bank account"

Is the opposite of the IRS having your Direct Deposit account. They are not using Bank account info; they are using Deposit info.

[qbteachmt]

@George4Tacks 

Posted a list of functional details here:

https://proconnect.intuit.com/community/lacerte-discussions/discussion/get-payment/00/79137

Hey, @George4Tacks did you know there is a "George4Tracks?"

[George4Tacks]

Yes that was me when this new site started and I couldn't log on. I wish I could say we have come a long way since then.

[krishacctgtax]

I am having same problem with clients whose 2018 tax return they had to make payments, now theyare asking why that message is coming...

[qbteachmt]

"they had to make payments, now theyare asking why that message is coming"

Because...Those of us who Paid never provided Direct Deposit info. We provided info for the opposite reason. This is not how the IRS has your Direct Deposit account info. They are not using Bank account info; they are using Direct Deposit info.

[Linda-Sunshine · Accepted solution]

Without any help from the professionals on this community forum, I was able to find information that basically stated what has been said on here as to the information provided when paying the tax bill was not for the purpose of Depositing and could not be used as such. I have also determined that several of the clients I have that have this issue had either just filed recently or had not filed 2019 as yet. 

Personal opinion, not facts, I think perhaps they are doing the 2019 filers first. If someone fell into the in-between area because of recently filing they may be okay soon. That is at least what I hope for those of my clients who are hurting from this situation. I don't have any clients that have not gotten the stimulus and are complaining when they are not in need. Those ones have simply wanted an explanation.

[qbteachmt]

Please let me help give this perspective:

"Without" any personal help from the tax preparation professionals here, who get paid to do Other People's tax returns and are not involved in setting guidelines, coding websites or making rules, and the same people who simply rely on the IRS news, websites, etc, and cannot be expected to be an insider or in-the-know any more than the next person...

But still, we try to be helpful by providing links and basic info on emerging info...

"Those ones have simply wanted an explanation."

And no one here has as that explanation. Where do you think you are on the Web? This is a Software Peer User Group.

If you are not using a Program-specific tax prep program named ProSeries, then it makes no sense to keep asking on this forum meant for How To Use that program, about something that does not relate to that software Program.

Would you post on an iphone forum meant for learning how to use the iphone, and ask about your tax stimulus check? They are as likely to be able to guide you, certainly. Or, a Foodie forum?

Intuit has a product named TurboTax; they built an online community around that DIY product for all things Financial. That's why you should ask them about Stimulus Checks:

Re-direction links for the General Public that accidentally stumbled into this community...

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/other-financial-discussions/discussion/02/216

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/other-financial-discussions/discussion/covid-19-coronavirus-person...

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/after-you-file/discussion/02/203

You're welcome.

@IntuitAustin 

Please shut down your lost general public topics regarding stimulus checks, sign ups, etc. You still have tax preparer professional that Paid for your programs, trying to do their jobs. It's like the screendoor is open and the birds are flocking in. Thank you.

[qbteachmt]

Oh, and for this: "Without any help from the professionals on this community forum, I was able to find information that basically stated what has been said on here as to the information provided when paying the tax bill was not for the purpose of Depositing and could not be used as such."

Yes, I am the one that used that phrasing, so, you Did get help here, apparently, or overlooked that this answer already existed here.

"that basically stated what has been said on here"

And if it was stated here, and seen here, why not simply believe it, especially if you first found it elsewhere and also saw it here? Sheesh. What good is it to see it, see it more than once, yet Keep asking, and not even asking in the right place on the web?

Now I am pretty upset that I no longer have the authority to lock a topic...

[qbteachmt]

Man, I am so mad at all of this. It's so Rude.

Let's go back to the Original Question:

"What should you do if the IRS tool says it cannot determine your eligibility at this time and you meet every criteria?"

You should Wait.

Not being able to determine eligibility has nothing with being eligible or getting a stimulus payment or meeting any criteria. It's a Failure of a portal that is trying to Validate info provided.

No one here has anything to do with that portal or that validation. Watch for the IRS to fix their site.

[abctax55]

"...Without any help from the professionals on this community forum"

And exactly WHY do any of the professionals here, who volunteer their time & expertise owe you (or anyone posting here) a DAMNED thing?

I've done numerous webinars, read many white papers, and (gasp) gone to the IRS website to research answers to my questions.  Give it a try?

"...Personal opinion, not facts, I think perhaps they are doing the 2019 filers first"

And you'd be incorrect in that opinion.  One client, 2019 NOT YET filed, got their $ 2400 on the first day.   There's no real rhyme or reason, only the IRS knows.  And this constant speculation is a complete waste of time.

[pchip64]

IRS is NOT doing 2019 filer's first, I haven't filed 2019 yet and received a stimulus check in my name. My wife, however, kept her maiden name when we married and I am having difficulty finding out why she has not received a check in her name.  She meets all of the criteria.

[IRonMaN]

"I am having difficulty finding out why she has not received a check in her name"

I didn't realize they were done issuing checks already.  Last I heard, I thought they had a ways to go yet.

[qbteachmt]

@pchip64 

Go here:

https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/04/21/heres-precisely-when-youll-get-your-stimulus-check.aspx

Look at Resources. Don't keep posting on the internet. You don't even know where you are, here; you are Lost on the interwebs.

You just made an account on a forum for a community that is meant for Peer Users of the programs ProSeries and Lacerte, for professional tax preparers. If you are not using these programs, and not preparing Clients' tax returns, you are in the wrong place.

[George4Tacks]

Hi there,

You’ve come to an Intuit site supporting tax professionals, and you may be looking for support as an individual taxpayer. Please visit the TurboTax Help site for support.

Cheers!