IRS Deadline To Register For Stimulus Check Is Near

Time is running out to get your COVID-19 stimulus check, with about 4 days remaining for people to register with the IRS to receive the federal relief payments. College students and low-income adults may be among those who qualify for the money but haven't yet received a check, according to the tax agency.

The IRS says it is to reaching out out to people who may be eligible for a check, reminding them that they need to act quickly to make the registration deadline of November 21. The payments were authorized in March by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or CARES, Act, which provided up to $1,200 to eligible individuals and up to $2,400 for married couples, with an additional $500 for each dependent under 17.

About 9 million people were urged by the IRS to register via its so-called Non-Filers tool to qualify for the checks, with the agency sending letters through the mail to alert them about the money. These are people who are adults and not required to file annual tax returns, such as some senior citizens, low-income households or college students who aren't claimed as dependents by their parents.

These adults fell through the cracks of the IRS system to get the checks out as quickly as possible. The agency had relied on taxpayers' most recent tax returns, which included either banking details for direct deposit or home addresses for paper checks, to determine where to send the money — a problem for adults who don't file tax returns.

College students may be among those who haven't received a check but qualify for one.

"College students in particular should be careful not to overlook these payments if they're supporting themselves and can't be claimed as a dependent on someone's tax returns," IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig said in a statement. "A few minutes of research could really help students," said the IRS.

Adults who don't normally file a tax return may have received a letter from the IRS about registering for the stimulus check. But the Federal Trade Commission on Monday warned consumers to be wary if someone calls, emails or text claiming to be from the IRS and offers to help people obtain their stimulus payment. Such communications are are scams, the FTC said, noting that the IRS isn't contacting consumers about the checks using those channels. (Instead, people should look for a letter, which the FTC said will match this letter from the IRS.)