IRS urges people to use web tool by Wednesday to get coronavirus payment via direct deposit

The IRS said Friday that people should use the agency’s “Get My Payment” web tool by noon on Wednesday, May 13, in order to receive their coronavirus relief payment more promptly.

Taxpayers who use the tool before this deadline will be able to provide the IRS with their direct deposit information, allowing them to get their payment faster than they would if they have to be sent a paper check. After the deadline, the IRS will start preparing millions of files to send to the Treasury Department’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service, which will send out paper checks that are expected to start arriving later this month and into June, the IRS said.

Legislation President Trump signed late last month provided for one-time payments to most Americans of up to $1,200 per adult and $500 per child. Treasury and the IRS have said that they have already issued about 130 million payments out of a total of more than 150 million expected payments.

Most payments so far have been sent to people electronically, while the rest have been sent by paper check. The IRS said that the number of paper checks being issued will sharply increase later this month.

“We’re working hard to get more payments quickly to taxpayers,” IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig said in a news release. “We want people to visit Get My Payment before the noon Wednesday deadline so they can provide their direct deposit information. Time is running out for a chance to get these payments several weeks earlier through direct deposit.”