Buzz
Did you just clear out the pile of junk mail accumulating on your kitchen table? The long-awaited economic impact payment might have been buried in that pile of paper.
In mid-May, the U.S. Treasury began distributing coronavirus relief payments in the form of debit cards. These cards, issued and mailed by MetaBank, give recipients the option to spend the funds via debit, withdraw cash, or transfer the payment to their bank account.
Though many notices explained what the card and letter would look like to ensure recipients of their authenticity, an often overlooked detail was the envelope they came in.
If you've ever received a new or replacement card from your bank or credit card provider, you're familiar with the plain envelope it arrives in—often featuring a nondescript return address, with no eye-catching logos hinting that there might be financial contents inside.
However, if you were anticipating a check from the U.S. Treasury, you wouldn't have been on the lookout for a plain envelope. And even if you did open it, you might have tossed it aside, assuming it was just another scam.
(And if you did discard your payment, I totally get it. For ages, the IRS and the Treasury insisted, 'Sign up for direct deposit or we'll mail you a check,' only to later announce, 'Time's up, surprise! We're now sending debit cards!' It’s a lot to process.)
So, what should you do if you’ve already thrown it away? Michelle Singletary of the Washington Post observed that many people were giving up when they called the customer service number, as it required them to enter their card number... which, of course, they didn’t have.
Here’s her advice on how to navigate around that and successfully request a replacement payment:
If you've misplaced or thrown away your stimulus debit card, you can request a free replacement by calling 800-240-8100, as per the instructions on
eipcard.com
. The cards are issued by MetaBank, though the instructions there can be unclear. Many individuals get stuck when asked to provide their card number.
When you call, bypass the option to press 1 for customer service. Instead, press Option 2 to report a lost or stolen card. Then, select Option 1 to enter the last six digits of your Social Security number and your Zip code. You’ll be transferred to a representative, who will ask a few security questions before mailing you a replacement card.
If you're unsure whether your payment was made through a debit card, check your status using the IRS ‘Get My Payment’ portal before contacting MetaBank (also known as Money Network) via www.eipcard.com.
If you haven't received your payment after seeing a payment date in the portal or receiving a letter, you can request the IRS to trace the payment. Call 800-919-9835, but be patient—the IRS currently has limited staff due to the ongoing coronavirus situation.
However, Singletary suggests this is a better option than filing Form 3911 to trace your payment, as the IRS isn't processing mail at this time.
