Some of you waiting on a paper check for stimulus funds may actually receive Debit Cards in the mail from the US Treasury office. A sample letter is attached for your reference.
The letter will have instructions on how to activate the card, how to transfer money to a bank account, and discuss certain fees that apply.
AS ALWAYS please be alert to potential fraud and phishing schemes. The official letter should have The Department of the Treasury seal and reference the IRS.gov/EIP website for additional information.
For up-to-the-minute-details please follow the IRS economic payment info center:
https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payment-information-center
Will IRS be sending prepaid debit cards? (added May 20, 2020)
Some payments may be sent on a prepaid debit card known as The Economic Impact Payment Card The Economic Impact Payment Card is sponsored by the Treasury Department’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service, managed by Money Network Financial, LLC and issued by Treasury’s financial agent, MetaBank®, N.A.
If you receive an Economic Impact Payment Card, it will arrive in a plain envelope from “Money Network Cardholder Services.” The Visa name will appear on the front of the Card; the back of the Card has the name of the issuing bank, MetaBank®, N.A. Information included with the Card will explain that the card is your Economic Impact Payment Card. Please go to EIPcard.com for more information.
Can I specifically ask the IRS to send the Economic Impact Payment to me as a debit card? (added May 20, 2020)
Not at this time. For those who don’t receive their Economic Impact Payment by direct deposit, they will receive their payment by paper check, and, in a few cases, by debit card. The determination of which taxpayers receive a debit card will be made by the Bureau of the Fiscal Service (BFS), another part of the Treasury Department that works with the IRS to handle distribution of the payments. BFS is sending nearly 4 million debit cards to taxpayers starting in mid-May. At this time, taxpayers cannot make a selection to receive a debit card. Please go to EIPcard.com for more information.