The Coronavirus has caused significant financial hardship for many people. As a result, the government passed a $2 trillion stimulus package to provide relief during this time. This can be seen through a one-time payment of a certain amount to individuals and couples. In order to get these payments out as soon as possible, a great deal of pressure has been put on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It is because of this that a few mistakes have been made in the process, one of these being stimulus checks delivered to deceased individuals.
The stimulus checks that people are receiving are based on the tax returns they filed in either 2018 or 2019. It is because of this that if a couple filed jointly with a spouse who has since died, there is a chance that the IRS does not know this yet and they send a check anyway. While the agency is supposed to check death records before making the payments, records may not be completely updated.
It is because of this that many people are receiving stimulus checks for their deceased loved ones and wondering if they are supposed to give them back to the government. While the IRS stated that they do not expect people to return the money if there was a mistake, President Trump said he does want the money to be given back. The matter is currently being investigated by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). As of now, until clear guidance is given by the IRS as to whether or not the money should be refunded, it is advised to just hold onto it for now. It is important to know that the money can not necessarily be kept just because it can be deposited.
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