Guest Data Collection Form
Partners can use this form to collect their guests' data, then take a picture and upload it to us using this link. The guest can then take the form with him/her as a reminder of what documents are still needed to complete their return.

Community Financial Resources Focus Card Overview - English

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FOCUS CARD ORIENTATION - Spanish

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Focus Card Disclosure and Fee Schedule - English

Focus Card Disclosure and Fee Schedule - Spanish

NOTE: in most circumstances, individuals who have not filed in several years, do not have access to formal banking, and/or do not have a reliable address, will not have received the EIP.

Economic Impact Payments (EIPs)–commonly referred to as “stimulus checks” – are funds to help people during the coronavirus pandemic. 

• First payment: the full amount was $1,200 ($2,400 for married couples) plus $500 for each qualifying child. These payments began distribution in April 2020.
• Second payment: the full amount was $600 ($1,200 for married couples) plus $600 for each qualifying child. These payments began distribution in December 2020.
• Third payment: the full amount was $1,400 ($2,800 for married couples) plus $1,400 for each qualifying child. These payments began distribution in March 2021.

Most eligible people were automatically issued EIPs based on information from their 2018 or 2019 tax return, or other federally administered payments (Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, Veterans benefits). If your client is eligible and isn't sure if they received their EIP, you should first check the status of their EIP using the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Get My Payment tool.

The Get My Payment tool can be frustratingly concise. Please see the "Using the Get My Payment Tool" link, below, for interpretation of tool results.

Please provide photo identification. Some example of acceptable forms of photo ID are:

• US photo driver license or learner permit
• Non-driver identification card
• Public Benefits Card
• Soup Kitchen ID
• US Military ID or dependent card with photo
• Passport

Please provide proof of SSN or ITIN. Some examples of acceptable forms of proof are:

• social security card
• letter from the Social Security Administration
• any kind of form reporting income from an independent source, issued within five years, such as a W-2 form, paystub, or 1099 form, as long as it shows the full nine-digit number
• certified marriage or dissolution of marriage certificate which shows the full SSN

Request a Replacement Social Security Number (SSN) Card Online

Generally, people filing a tax return for the Recovery Rebate Credit or other credits benefitting those at lower incomes do not have many necessary documents. It is only important that if they do have a document that should be reported, it is provided. However, our goal is to get funds in their hands as soon as possible. If a document is not provided and later discovered, an amended return can be filed.

If all a person has is their identifying documents, that is sufficient to process their tax return.

Possible documents are listed on our website, here. However, please note that the list at this link is comprehensive and includes many things which may not be applicable to your situation.

People can claim an Economic Impact Payment or other credits even if they don't have a permanent address. For example, someone experiencing homelessness may list the address of a friend, relative or trusted service provider, such as a shelter, drop-in day center or transitional housing program. If they are unable to choose direct deposit, a check or debit card for the tax refund and the third Economic Impact Payment can then be mailed to this address.

The easiest solution to the absence of an email address and/or phone number might be to use one provided by a friend, relative or trusted service provider, such as a shelter, drop-in day center or transitional housing program.

The 2-1-1 Helpline Center has provided a convenient website offering Options for Creating an Email Account Without a Phone Number.

Many financial institutions will help a person lacking an account to open a low-cost or no-cost bank account. Individuals who open accounts will then have an account and routing number available when they file and claim a direct deposit of the Economic Impact Payment.

Visit the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) website for details, in both English and Spanish, on opening an account online. Among other things, people can also use the FDIC's BankFind tool to locate a nearby FDIC-insured bank. In addition, BankOn, American Bankers Association, Independent Community Bankers of America, and National Credit Union Administration have all compiled lists of banks and credit union that can open an account online.

For veterans, see the Veterans Benefits Banking Program (VBBP) for access to financial services at participating banks.

For those with a prepaid debit card, they may be able to have their refund applied to the card. Many reloadable prepaid cards or mobile payment apps have account and routing numbers that can be provided to the IRS. Individuals would need to check with the financial institution to ensure the card can be used and to obtain the routing number and account number, which may be different from the card number.

Generally, you will receive your refund within 3 weeks if you file electronically or 8 weeks if you mail your return. You can check the status of your refund using the IRS’s Where’s My Refund? tool. To use Where’s My Refund? you’ll need your Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, your filing status, and your exact refund amount.

The IRS urges people to visit IRS.gov for the most current information on the Recovery Rebate Credit rather than calling the agency, financial institutions or tax software providers.

To avoid refund delays, you must file a complete and accurate return. Most refunds are issued in less than 21 days, but some refunds may take longer for a variety of reasons.

For more information, see the FAQs for the Recovery Rebate Credit — Topic E: Receiving the Credit.

Get My Payment is a tool on IRS.gov that helps people learn the status of their EIP. By entering some basic personal information into a secure form, people can learn whether they need to take
additional action to get the EIP. Checking IRS.gov Get My Payment will not do any harm even if the person turns out to be ineligible.

Once a person clicks on Get My Payment, they will see a warning about authorized use. Click “OK”. Checking the status of an EIP is an authorized use. In the data entry screen for Get My Payment, people must enter their Social Security number or their Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN), date of birth, address, and ZIP code to check the status of their payments.

Interpreting Get My Payment Results:

If Get My Payment says:

1. Payment Status Not Available, and the person believes they are eligible, it means the IRS does not have the information it needs to calculate eligibility. The person probably needs to file a 2020 tax return.  Keep in mind, it takes up to two weeks for Get My Payment to reflect that someone e-filed a return; longer when a tax return is mailed.
2. Needs more information: this status indicates that the IRS has attempted to pay the EIP. Get My Payment will indicate whether the attempt was made by direct deposit, a paper check, or the EIP debit card. The IRS sends a notice by mail within 15 calendar days of an EIP being processed, although people may not receive it for a number of reasons.
   • This status typically indicates a problem with direct deposit or mail that was returned to the IRS as undeliverable. In either situation, Get My Payment allows people to update their direct deposit information and get the EIP quickly.
   • Correcting address information: correcting addresses can be time-consuming! Consider helping people open a new bank account or reloadable prepaid card to get their EIPs faster via direct deposit.
     When people are not able to enter a direct deposit account into Get My Payment, they should call the IRS EIP Assistance Line at 800-919-9835 to update their address. Assisters will verify the person’s identity and the address the IRS has on file before collecting updated information. Callers should be prepared to provide their full name, new address, old address, date of birth, and Social Security number.
     • Alternatively, people can use IRS Form 8822: Change of Address. It is important to mail documents as soon as possible to ensure timely delivery and processing. If the person has not filed a 2019 or 2020 tax return or used the Non-Filers Tool, it is possible that filing or using the Change of Address form could update IRS systems and issue the EIP.
3. A payment has been processed and was sent by direct deposit. 
   • If Get My Payment says payment was sent by direct deposit, the taxpayer should check with the financial institution before calling the IRS. They may be able to resolve the problem more quickly. If a person is unable to resolve direct deposit issues with the help of their financial institution, they should call the IRS EIP Assistance Line at 800-919-9835.
     Tip: The IRS typically mails a check when a direct deposit fails, and this takes a couple of weeks. Get My Payment will indicate that a check will be sent.
4. A payment has been processed and mailed via paper check or EIP debit card.
   • People should double-check that it has not already arrived. The payment sent may be a check or a debit card. EIP debit cards come in a plain envelope labeled “Money Network Cardholder Services”. The envelope will also contain important information about the card, including instructions for activation, information on fees, and a note from the U.S. Treasury. The card itself will have the words “VISA” and “DEBIT” on the front and the issuing bank: “Meta Bank, N.A.”
     Tip: Money on EIP debit cards issued by the IRS can be transferred to a personal account; used on a peer-to-peer payment system; used to pay bills, and used to spend money at point-of-sale or to get cash. Once all funds are spent the card cannot be reloaded. For more information see https://www.eipcard.com
   • If people cannot locate a check or debit card, here are some possible scenarios and next steps:
     • Discarded EIP debit card envelopes. Some people have accidentally discarded their EIP debit cards, mistaking them for junk mail. People may request a replacement by phone at 800-240-8100 (option 2 from the main menu).
     • At a former address. The EIPs are mailed to the most recent address in the IRS’s records. The EIP could be at a former address, and someone there might forward or hold the payment for pick-up. People can track mail to an address using Informed Delivery, a service of the U.S. Postal Service.
     • Post Office unable to deliver. If the EIP is returned to the IRS because the Post Office was unable to deliver it, the Get My Payment status will change to “need more information.” People may want to check Get My Payment daily for this status change.
   • After considering and exhausting the above options, your client can request assistance from the IRS. This assistance can take a while, so it’s best to exhaust other options first.
   • For assistance with misdirected mail or to initiate a payment trace, call the IRS EIP Assistance Line at 800-919-9835.
5. Pending and not processed
   • This status indicates that a person is eligible, and a payment has not yet been sent. If it has been more than two weeks since the person filed their tax return or completed the Non-Filers Tool, there may be a problem. If they mailed a paper return to the IRS, it could take longer, but the pending status should last no longer than two weeks. Try to identify any issues that need to be resolved with the IRS by asking the person if they received any notices from the IRS that identify outstanding issues that need to be resolved.

Common Challenge: if Get My Payment continues to return “Payment Status Not Available” more than two weeks after a person e-filed a 2019 or 2020 tax return or used the Non-Filers Tool there may be a submission problem.

• If the person used the Non-Filers tool or prepared a return using self-preparation software like IRS Free File, they should check the email they received about their submission. If the email shows the e-file was accepted, they should contact the IRS main number 800-829-1040 or the IRS EIP Assistance Line at 800-919-9835.
• If they used a tax preparer, they should contact that person or organization.

Source: consumerfinance.gov, Helping Consumers Claim their Economic Impact Payment

As defined by the IRS, the first and second Economic Impact Payments (EIP) were advance payments of a 2020 tax credit – the Recovery Rebate Credit.

• The first round of EIP ($1,200 per person plus $500 per dependent) was based on an individual’s 2019 tax year information or 2018 tax year information if a 2019 return had not been processed.
• The second round of EIP ($600 per person plus $600 per dependent) were based on an individual’s 2019 tax year information.
• The Recovery Rebate Credit is based on an individual’s 2020 tax year information reported on the 2020 tax return.

The Recovery Rebate Credit is a refundable credit, which means it is paid dollar-for-dollar as a tax refund, even if you owe no tax. The amount you receive for the Recovery Rebate Credit will be included as part of your refund or applied to any tax owed.

If you are eligible for a refund of your 2020 income tax, then the amount you receive for the Recovery Rebate Credit will be included as part of your 2020 tax refund. It will not be issued separately.

What about the third ($1,400) stimulus payment?  After your 2020 tax return is processed, the third stimulus payment will automatically be paid to you in the same manner as your 2020 tax return refund.

Examples of how the Recovery Rebate Credit works:

Scenario 1 – Individuals who did not file in 2018 or 2019.
Shelly did not have to file a tax return in 2018 or 2019 because her income was below the filing threshold. As a result, she didn’t receive any stimulus payments. However, because she is eligible for the stimulus, when she files her 2020 tax return Shelly can claim the recovery rebate credit to receive a total of $1,800: $1,200 for the first round of stimulus and $600 for the second round of stimulus.

Scenario 2 – Individuals who had a change of address and/or bank account after the first stimulus payment.
Stan received the first stimulus payment of $1,200 in May 2020. In June, he was laid off from his job as a chef due to the pandemic. After careful consideration, he decided it was in his best interest to move in with his parents, who lived on the other side of the country. He closed his local bank account and opened a new one after his move in July. As a result, he didn’t receive the second stimulus payment of $600. When he files his 2020 tax return Stan can claim the recovery rebate credit for $600; the amount of the second stimulus payment.

Scenario 3 – Recovery Rebate Credit and a new baby
Jo and Nic married in January 2020 and had a baby in October 2020. They were both single on their 2019 returns, and they each received $1,200 in first round of stimulus checks in 2020. When they file their 2020 return, they will claim their child on the return and receive $1,100 in additional recovery rebate credit ($500 for round one plus $600 for round two).

Generally, if you were a U.S. citizen or U.S. resident alien in 2020, were not a dependent of another taxpayer and have a Social Security number that is valid for employment and issued before the due date of the 2020 tax return (including any extension), you may be eligible for the Recovery Rebate Credit. For taxpayers filing joint returns, at least one spouse must have a valid Social Security number to claim any Recovery Rebate Credit.

Qualifying child: A qualifying child for the Recovery Rebate Credit is a child who meets the following conditions:

Relationship to the individual who is eligible for the credit: The child is your son, daughter, stepchild, eligible foster child, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, half-brother, half-sister, or a descendant of any of them (for example, grandchild, niece or nephew).

• Child's age: The child was under age 17 on December 31, 2020.
• Dependent of the individual who's eligible for the credit: The child’s claimed as a dependent on your 2020 tax return.
• Child’s citizenship: The child’s a U.S. citizen, U.S. national or U.S. resident alien.
• Child's residency: The child lived with you for more than half of 2020.
• Support for child: The child didn’t provide over half of own support in 2020.
• Child's tax return: The child doesn’t file a joint return for the 2020 tax year (or files it only to claim a refund of withheld income tax or estimated tax paid).

To be claimed for the Recovery Rebate Credit, the child must have a Social Security number that is valid for employment issued by the Social Security Administration before April 15, 2021 (or October 15, 2021, if there is an approved extension to file) or have an Adoption Taxpayer Identification Number issued by the IRS.

For more information see the FAQs for the Recovery Rebate Credit — Topic B: Eligibility.

The earned income credit (EIC) is a tax credit for certain people who work and have earned income under $56,844. A tax credit usually means more money in your pocket. It reduces the amount of tax you owe. The EIC may also give you a refund.

Basic eligibility rules are:

1. Income limits: your adjusted gross income must be less than
   • $50,954 ($56,844 for married filing jointly) if you have three or more qualifying children,
   • $47,440 ($53,330 for married filing jointly) if you have two qualifying children,
   • $41,756 ($47,646 for married filing jointly) if you have one qualifying child, or
   • $15,820 ($21,710 for married filing jointly) if you don't have a qualifying child.
2. Social Security Number(s): you (and your spouse, if filing a joint return) and any qualifying child must have a valid SSN.
3. Filing status: your filing status cannot be "married filing separately."
4. Citizenship: you (and your spouse, if filing a joint return) must be a U.S. Citizen or Resident Alien
5. Other income: you cannot have foreign earned income or investment income higher than $3,650
6. Earned Income: you must work and have earned income. Earned income includes wages salaries and tips, net earnings from self-employment, income received as a statutory employee, or strike benefits.
7. Taxpayer status: you cannot be the qualifying child of another taxpayer (see "Qualifying Child Requirements," below), and you can't be the dependent of another persion
8. Age: you must be at least age 25 but under age 65
9. Residency: you must have lived in the U.S. more than half of the year.

Qualifying Child Requirements:

1. Relationship test: to be your qualifying child, a child must be your
   • son, daughter, stepchild, foster child, or a descendant of any of them (for example, your grandchild); or
   • brother, sister, half-brother, half-sister, stepbrother, stepsister, or a descendant of any of them (for example, your niece or nephew).
2. Age test: your child must be
   • Under age 19 at the end of 2020 and younger than you (or your spouse, if filing jointly);
   • Under age 24 at the end of 2020, a student, and younger than you (or your spouse, if filing jointly); or
   • Permanently and totally disabled at any time during 2020, regardless of age.
3. Residency test: Your child must have lived with you in the United States for more than half of 2020.
   • Note: Your home can be any location where you regularly live. You don't need a traditional home. For example, if your child lived with you for more than half the year in one or more homeless shelters, your child meets the residency test.
4. Joint return test: the child cannot file a joint return for the year.
5. Also, your qualifying child cannot be used by more than one person to claim the EIC.

For more details and FAQ, please see Publication 596, Earned Income Credit