Consumerist: stimulus payments

Mommy Needs A New Pair Of Stimulus Shoes

Ben Popken — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 13:05:11 EDT

Upgrade: Travel Better blogger Mark Ashley sends in this ad he spotted at the Oak Hollow Mall in High Point North Carolina, exhorting shoppers to use their stimulus payments in a selfish splurge on depreciating assets.

The sign reads, "It's time for you to do your part to stimulate the economy. And there's no better way to kick the economy up a notch than with a really great pair of pumps. Or a new flat screen TV. Or a fabulous bag. Or whatever you've been dying to get your hands on! So don't delay. CELEBRATE THE STIMULUS. TREAT YOURSELF TO SOMETHING SPECIAL TODAY!"

Mark says, "I enjoy how excessive consumerism is framed in patriotic terms."

A site where people post a picture and talk ...

Ben Popken — Fri, 23 May 2008 10:03:37 EDT

A site where people post a picture and talk about the stuff they bought with their stimulus payment. [How I Spent My Stimulus]

You Have To Wait Longer For Your Stimulus Payment If...

Ben Popken — Thu, 22 May 2008 13:51:53 EDT

"Where's my freakin' money?!" is what some people are wondering about their stimulus payment. Here's some bad news, you're getting your money later than you thought if you:

* Used a tax prep service, like TurboTax, to file your taxes
* AND had filing fees deducted from the refund, took out a Refund Anticipation Loan, or entered into any other loans
* AND had refund direct-deposited

When will you get your money?

In this case, you will get your payment on the paper check payment schedule. Why? Because the IRS is paying your tax prep service, and then the tax prep service pays you. Guess how the IRS is paying the tax prep service? With a paper check. (You still get yours direct-deposited, though.)

Here's the paper check payment schedule based on the last 2 digits of your social, and the relevant part of the IRS FAQ...

00 - 09 —-> May 16
10 - 18 —-> May 23
19 - 25 —-> May 30
26 - 38 —-> June 6
39 - 51 —-> June 13
52 - 63 —-> June 20
64 - 75 —-> June 27
76 - 87 —-> July 4
88 - 99 —-> July 11

Q. I chose direct deposit for my 2007 tax refund but also requested a refund anticipation loan (RAL) from my preparer. How does that affect my stimulus payment?

A. Taxpayers who use Refund Anticipation Loans (RALs) or enter into any other loans or financial agreements with a tax professional, such as agreeing to have return preparation fees deducted from their refunds, cannot receive their stimulus payments by direct deposit and instead will get paper checks based on the paper check distribution schedule.

Looks like it's Skippy and Sanka for you for a little while longer, boyo!

(Photo: Chad Beckerman)

If you're on SSDI (Social Security Disability ...

Ben Popken — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 11:54:16 EDT

If you're on SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) and used Taxcut Online from H&R Block to file for your stimulus payment, it may have told you to print out the wrong form. The right form is 1040A, not 1040EZ.