The IRS is issuing millions of COVID-19 relief stimulus payments on prepaid debit cards aimed at those who do not have direct deposit. The switch from paper checks has caused confusion for some of the 8 million Americans expected to receive payment as a prepaid debit card who believed the card was a scam. Government officials are urging people to keep an eye on their mail if they did not receive a direct deposit and are expecting to receive a payment. The cards will arrive in plain white envelopes with a Treasury Department seal, have a Visa logo on the front, and have been issued by MetaBank, which is named on the back.
According to the IRS, those who throw away their prepaid card will need to call customer service or try and claim it when filing their federal tax return. The payments are generally $600 for single people who earn less than $75,000 and $1,200 for married couples who file jointly and earn less than $150,000. Those who earn more are set to receive reduced payments or no payment, depending on income level. People with qualifying children will receive $600 for each child up to age 17. Stimulus payments are able to be tracked through the Get My Payments portal on the IRS Website.