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Where's My Tax Rebate?

Updated: 1/22/2009
Article ID: 5961

If you didn't get one in 2008, you might qualify for one in 2009

Most people eligible for a tax rebate, also known as a stimulus payment, received theirs in 2008.

If you didn't get a 2008 tax rebate, or only a partial one, you might under certain circumstances qualify for what's known as a "recovery rebate credit" in 2009. You might qualify if you:

  • Are eligible, but didn't get one in 2008
  • Got a partial payment, but are entitled to more based on your 2008 financial situation
  • Weren't eligible last year but are now , due to a change in your circumstances

Learn more about the recovery rebate credit.

If I qualify, when would I get a payment?

The rules for qualifying remain generally the same as the prior year, but you would receive your payment in a different way.

The original tax rebates, or stimulus payments, were sent to recipients in 2008, either by mail or by direct deposit to their bank accounts -- separate and apart from their regular tax refunds.

With the recovery rebate, however, you wouldn't get a payment separately. If you qualify, it would be applied to your 2008 taxes. So you would either get a larger refund or owe less tax.

To qualify for a recovery rebate, you have to file a 2008 tax return.

Many people who don't normally need to file an income tax return, such as Social Security recipients and low-income earners, still qualify for a payment, but they MUST file a tax return to receive it.

Learn more about the tax rebate.
 

How will I know if I am getting one?

TurboTax will let you know when you are preparing your 2008 tax return.


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