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Stimulus checks on the way

PLATTSBURGH — The IRS began issuing the next round of stimulus checks this week and Clinton County Legislature Chair Mark Henry says he’s excited for them to land in North Country bank accounts.

“The stimulus checks are very important,” he said. “It will be a shot in the arm economically and will help folks out.

“We look forward to our folks in our county and in this area getting them.”

Round two

The recently OK’d $900 billion pandemic relief bill promised $600 to single filing Americans. Those individuals had received twice as much in the first round of payments offered through the $2 trillion CARES Act earlier this year.

Joint filers were to receive $1,200 payments this time around.

Those with qualifying children were expected to gain an additional $600 for each qualifying child. Dependents 17 years or older were not eligible for the child payment.

“Throughout this challenging year, the IRS has worked around the clock to provide Economic Impact Payments and critical taxpayer services to the American people,” IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig says in a recent release.

“We are working swiftly to distribute this second round of payments as quickly as possible.

“This work continues throughout the holidays and into the new year as we prepare for the upcoming filing season.”

Automatically sent

The Internal Revenue Services (IRS) began issuing direct deposit payments on Tuesday evening and began mailing paper checks the following day.

“Some Americans may see the direct deposit payments as pending or as provisional payments in their accounts before the official payment date of Jan. 4, 2021,” the IRS release says.

Payments were automatic and Americans need not contact their financial institutions with questions.

Claim on 2020 taxes

According to the office of U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), like in the first round of checks, most would see payments as direct deposits, but some would be sent via mailed check or debit card.

“The payments will be automatically sent to people who filed returns in 2019; who receive Social Security retirement, survivor or disability benefits, as well as SSI and VA beneficiaries; and who don’t typically file but who used the IRS non-filers tool for the first round of payments this year,” Schumer’s office told the Press-Republican.

“And then anyone who did not receive either a first or second round of the direct payments will be able to claim them on their 2020 tax returns in early 2021.”

‘Know what to do’

Asked his thoughts on whether locals should save or spend the monies, Henry said, “the people who receive the checks best know what to do with the money to best assist them.”

“It will certainly benefit a lot more folks if it gets out into the economy,” he added. “but we just look forward to everybody getting them.”

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