Left US but received Stimulus payment


Recommended Posts

Hello

Due to H1 extension denial, I moved to India in Feb 2020. Since I paid all taxes on time till FY 2018, I was paid stimulus payment by IRS based on my last taxes filed in 2018.

As I am not legal resident of USA and currently in India, Am I eligible for this stimulus payment from IRS ?

Would I need to pay back it to IRS when i file 2020 taxes next year ?

I am worried that I should not get IRA notice for this payment!

Please provide your opinion.

thanks!

Link to comment

You are eligible for the advance payment if you  were a resident alien for tax purposes for the 2019 tax year (or the 2018 tax year if you haven't filed for 2019), you had an SSN (and your spouse had an SSN if filed jointly), and your income for the 2019 (or 2018) tax year is lower than the income threshold. That you have left the US since then doesn't affect it. The payment was not error and you do not need to pay it back. Even if you qualify for a smaller payment or for no payment under the 2020 tax year, you do not have to pay anything back on your 2020 taxes.

Link to comment

You do not have to return your payment, this was not an error in any way, unless you get a double payment. Stimulus payment is not free money but the advance payment of your 2020 tax filing. So file your 2020 taxes next year you will be good, in case you do not have any income to report, just file the taxes without any income or consult tax filing company there are a bunch of them in the market. Do not worry much and do not think it is any error.

Link to comment
20 hours ago, gopalakrishnach said:

I heard if you got by mistake or you are not supposed to get it you need to pay back.

Right but nothing in the question indicates that it was "by mistake". If the OP filed their tax return correctly, then the stimulus payment they received was almost certainly what they are entitled to.

Link to comment
12 hours ago, newacct said:

Right but nothing in the question indicates that it was "by mistake". If the OP filed their tax return correctly, then the stimulus payment they received was almost certainly what they are entitled to.

No, it was by mistake.

To send out stuff quickly, IRS just looked at the tax payments of people in the last 2 years, and if that was below a certain threshold they sent out payments. That resulted in people like the OP receiving a check, but also people who died in the last year got checks (they didn't file a tax return last year...)

IRS has said that these payments have to be returned.

Edited by JoeF
Link to comment
On 6/3/2020 at 9:00 AM, newacct said:

Right but nothing in the question indicates that it was "by mistake". If the OP filed their tax return correctly, then the stimulus payment they received was almost certainly what they are entitled to.

I believe it mistake. To help more number of needy IRS just send to bank accounts without checking whether the account holder and tax payee was present in USA or not. I believe its mistake and send them back.

Link to comment
23 hours ago, JoeF said:

No, it was by mistake.

To send out stuff quickly, IRS just looked at the tax payments of people in the last 2 years, and if that was below a certain threshold they sent out payments.

And sending it out to people who qualify under the 2019 (or 2018) tax year is exactly what the law requires. On what basis do you claim it is "by mistake"?

Link to comment
9 hours ago, newacct said:

And sending it out to people who qualify under the 2019 (or 2018) tax year is exactly what the law requires. On what basis do you claim it is "by mistake"?

If the person doesn't live in the US the person doesn't qualify. Also under the law.

So, it was sent by mistake, and needs to be returned.

Link to comment
4 hours ago, JoeF said:

If the person doesn't live in the US the person doesn't qualify. Also under the law.

So, it was sent by mistake, and needs to be returned.

There is no requirement that the person live in the US at the time of receiving the advance payment. The law says that the government shall pay the advance payment to someone who was an "eligible individual" for the 2019 tax year (which they may change to the 2018 tax year if the person hasn't filed for 2019).

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...