IRS glitch appears to be sending stimulus payments to wrong accounts

TAMPA (WFLA) — An IRS glitch appears to be sending stimulus payments to the wrong accounts, frustrating taxpayers who have been waiting for the much-needed help.

Calls to Better Call Behnken phone lines are rolling in as Tampa Bay taxpayers check the IRS website to see that money has been deposited, but say the account number is not theirs.

“We were going to use this stimulus money to pay past due bills, including rent, water, and our Internet bill which is three months past due,” an email complaint read.

Social media has been inundated with similar complaints, particularly from those who used tax preparers, such as TurboTax and H&R Block.

Bill Welling, of Riverview, used H&R Block and tells Investigator Shannon Behnken that the IRS told him this is a “known issue” and that he will have to get a rebate when he files his taxes.

“That goes against the spirit of what the stimulus is for,” Welling. “I don’t need the money as a credit for next year. People need the money now.”

Tax preparation company H&R Block addressed the issue Tuesday morning in a tweet saying customers who used their “Refund Transfer” feature may have had their money sent to a temporary account.

“But don’t worry – we have sent these payments on to the method you chose for Refund Transfer: direct deposit, check or Emerald Card,” the company tweeted. “The money should be there by the end of the day.”

That was Monday, and Welling says he hasn’t seen a dime and isn’t happy about waiting to get a rebate.

The IRS and the Treasury Department began issuing the Economic Impact Payments last week. Eligible adult and dependents earning up to $75,000, or $150,000 for married couples filing jointly could receive $600 payments each.

The IRS did not return calls for comment, but has said on its website that no action is required by eligible individuals to receive this second payment. The IRS said payments are automatic, and they should not contact their financial institutions or the IRS with payment timing questions.

H&R Block took to Twitter, explaining it “understands stimulus checks are vitally important for millions of Americans. The IRS determines where second stimulus payments were sent, and in some cases, money was sent to a different account than the first stimulus payment last spring.”

In another tweet, H&R Block said, “If the IRS Get My Payment website displays an account number a customer doesn’t recognize, H&R Block is ready to help with additional information at 800-HRBLOCK and 1-866-353-1266 for Emerald Card.”