The Internal Revenue Service has launched a Web-based tool that allows taxpayers to check to see if they received an Economic Recovery Payment last year.
The
Taxpayers who had earned income in 2009 or are government retirees and received an Economic Recovery Payment need to report whether or not they received an ERP and the amount when they prepare their Schedule M, Making Work Pay and Government Retiree Credits. The one-time $250 ERP was paid in 2009 to individuals in the following categories: retirees, disabled individuals and Supplemental Security Income recipients receiving benefits from the Social Security Administration; disabled veterans receiving benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; and Railroad Retirement beneficiaries.
When taxpayers access "Did I Receive an Economic Recovery Payment? they will need to enter three pieces of information to determine if they received an ERP: Social Security Number; date of birth; and zip code from the last filed return. A separate Web inquiry must be made for each taxpayer, even if filing a joint tax return.
Earlier this year, the IRS introduced a way to check the same information by telephone. The automated telephone number is (866) 234-2942, option 1, and requires taxpayers to enter similar information.
