Stimulus update: IRS sends new batch of stimulus checks

The Internal Revenue Service has issued 2.2 million COVID-19 stimulus payments during the past six weeks, the agency announced Wednesday.

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The agency has now sent more than 171 million payments, representing more than $400 billion since the program began on March 12, the IRS said in a statement.

The payments, intended as an economic boost to Americans hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, were authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act.

During the last six weeks, the IRS has sent about 2.2 million payments with a value of more than $4 billion and sent about 1.3 million payments, with a value of approximately $2.6 billion, to eligible individuals for whom the IRS previously did not have information on to issue an Economic Impact Payment, but who recently filed a tax return.

The IRS continues to send out supplemental or plus-up payments to people who earlier this year received payments based on their 2019 tax returns but are eligible for a new or larger payment based on their recently processed 2020 tax returns.

According to the agency, more than 900,000 such payments were sent in the past six weeks.

The IRS continues to urge those who have not filed a 2019 or 2020 return to do so.

“Although payments are automatic for most people, the IRS continues to urge people who don’t normally file a tax return and haven’t received Economic Impact Payments to file a 2020 tax return to get all the benefits they’re entitled to under the law,” a statement from the agency said.

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