From a Client:

Good Morning Kerry I’ve a question ~ I received my “Economic Impact Payment “ due to COVID-19 I understood the checks to be $1,200.00 …mine was only $875.60 Were taxes to be taken out of these?

My Reply:

What you received is actually the correct amount per the current payment schedule. The amount can be as high as $1,200 per person, but is phased down for people whose most recently reported AGI was more than $75,000. I just used a handy phase-out calculator that I found on the web and entered your 2018 AGI of $81,488. Attached you can see the result of $876.

It is still possible that you can get the additional $324, but that won’t be for more than a year. When we prepare your 2020 Federal income tax return, there will be a schedule to recalculate the proper amount using your 2020 AGI. If you qualify for more than the $876, you will get a credit for the extra amount. As it is currently being discussed, if you actually end up qualifying for less than what you received, you will not be forced to pay back the over-payment. That could change by next year. All of these special Covid related programs are still very fluid and being tinkered with constantly. There is even talk right now of a second round of stimulus payments in the next few months; so there will be no end to the confusion.

So, there is no need to contact IRS about your payment. They did send you the correct amount for this first round of payments.

I hope I have explained this adequately. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Kerry