who received and who didn’t received a stimulus check

[Gone South]

Two other Canadians and myself were discussing the economic stimulus checks the US government issued this year. One has a green card and myself and the other are still on L-1 status. The guy with the green card and myself didn’t receive stimulus checks even though the calculations on our tax return said we would. The third individual did receive a check. Actually both he and his wife received.

I called the IRS to see why and all I got is I didn’t qualify and their might be a way to challenge that decision on next years tax return. Not overly worried about it but just wondered how everyone else made out?

[Steven]

If you are a US resident tax payer and you fall under the income limit, you should get a cheque.

[Reba]

Actually I believe they were not sending checks out unless the person was a legal permanent resident for all of the tax year or something.

There were quite a few couples on Visa Journey that didn't get checks (not even the US citizen half!) because the immigrant half of them did not yet have their green card.

[Gone South]

All 3 of us were US tax payers for the entire year and all fell under the threshold limit. Two of us here on L-1’s one on a green card already. Myself (on an L-1) and the guy with the green card did not receive checks nor did our spouses. The other L-1 holder did (him and spouse) receive checks. I called the IRS and was simply told I did not qualify. No explanation beyond that available. Told I could contest it (she thought) on next years tax return. I suspect because it was something different, the decision that you qualified or not was maybe up to the individual processing your tax return. Not overly worried about it because it was a bit of a stupid incentive anyway. Government borrowing money to stimulate the economy? Sounds like the beginning of the end to me.

[Steven]

I find this quite an interesting tidbit of information, because there is nothing on the 1040 to indicate your immigration status. The only way the IRS can determine that is to run your SSN through E-verify.

So what this clearly means is that the reason why some non-immigrant visa holders are getting cheques and why others are not is because of errors in the SSA database.

If you got an SSN before they got E-verify up and running and are filing a 1040, most likely you got a stimulus check. If you got your SSN later on then most likely you didn't.

It's all down to what the clerk typed into the SSA computer when you got your SSN.

If you have since changed status to LPR and have never informed the SSA, what you need to do is go down to the social security office and get them to amend your status in E-verify to remove the restrictions on your work authorization. Then the IRS will be able to see that and you can get your stimulus check, assuming the SSA can backdate it, which I doubt they can, but you have the basis to appeal the refusal in their system, at least.

You should frankly do this anyway, I'm not sure on why the SSA are so coy on telling people about it. When I phoned them up when I was in the US it took a long while for that bit of info to come out in the conversation.

http://www.canuckabroad.com/forums/some ... t2611.html

[Gone South]

After 2 trips to the Social Security office, once for myself and once with my wife, I wouldn’t go back unless it resulted in a million dollar tax rebate! It was more like being in a 3rd work country than in America.

To me the fact that not all tax payers and potential economy boosters (spenders) got checks confirms the program was more of a way to stimulate the political party than the economy. Basically if they can’t vote for you, why give them anything.

[Steven]

By law, the USCIS and the IRS aren't allowed to talk to each other except during criminal investigations. I find it interesting that they've bent the rule by using the new information being collected by Social Security.

[Reba]

I've never updated my SSN with the SSA, I can't afford the entire day long stay at the office And I got a stimulus check.