IRS to Send Stimulus Notice

You can read it now

By Kaye A. Thomas
Posted February 28, 2008

Preliminary notice gives basic information.

More than 130 million American households will begin receiving Internal Revenue Service letters next week reminding them to file a 2007 tax return in order to receive a 2008 economic stimulus payment, according to a news release from the IRS. These letters won't tell you the dollar amount of your individual payment, but they provide a brief overview of the stimulus payments.

The most important information contained in the letter is that you have to file a 2007 income tax return to receive a stimulus payment in 2008. Some people who fail to receive a stimulus payment in 2008 will be able to claim the benefit when they file their 2008 income tax returns, in 2009. In some cases it won't be possible to claim the benefit on a 2008 income tax return, so all people eligible for the benefit should be sure to file a 2007 return.

Many of the people eligible to receive the stimulus payment are not ordinarily required to file an income tax return. These people will need to file an income tax return this year for the sole purpose of obtaining the stimulus payment.

The IRS says it plans to begin sending out the stimulus checks in May.

The preliminary notice should appear soon in your mailbox, but you can read it now if you want.

IRS Document: Economic Stimulus Payment Notice (PDF)