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IRS Sent Duplicate Stimulus Checks to Thousands, TIGTA Finds

Posted on July 9, 2020

An IRS error in issuing economic impact payments led to more than 46,000 people receiving two stimulus checks.

Because the IRS used data from tax years 2018 and 2019 to determine eligibility for the payments, some individuals whose filing status changed between the two years — either from single to married or from married to single — received duplicate checks, according to a new report from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration . The erroneous payments totaled $69 million.

“One payment was sent to the bank account or address shown on the Tax Year 2018 tax return, and one payment was sent to the bank account or address shown on the Tax Year 2019 tax return,” the report said of the individuals.

Although the agency implemented programming requirements to prevent one person from receiving multiple checks, the programming was unable to show that an account with a 2018 return had been issued a payment before another check was sent based on the 2019 return.

“Despite the challenges, TIGTA determined that ‘the IRS correctly computed the payment amount for approximately 98 percent’ of all EIP payments disbursed,” the agency said in a statement to Tax Notes.

The IRS is requesting that those who received an additional payment return it voluntarily.

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