Where’s My Stimulus Check? Here’s How to Find Out

Direct cash payments from the American Rescue Plan  began arriving this weekend in the form of direct deposits into the accounts of many Seacoast tax payers leaving the biggest question as: "when do I get my money?"

The payments are part of the $1.9 trillion relief package signed into law by President Joe Biden designed to jump start the economy, increase vaccine availability and deliver direct aid to Americans struggling to make ends meet. The entire congressional delegation from the Seacoast voted for the bill with the exception of Republican U.S. Senator Susan Collins.

Single filers will receive payments of $1,400 while married couple filing jointly are due $2,800 with an additional $1,400 for each dependent child.  Payments are made to single taxpayers with incomes of up to $75,000 and married couples up to $150,000.

The IRS has opened its website to track the arrival of the economic stimulus checks and is updated once a day usually in the early morning hours. Calling the IRS will not give you information on your funds.

You'll receive a message of three messages on the website:

• Your payment has been processed, a payment date and whether your funds will be direct deposited into your account, an EIP card or check will be sent. Or,you’re eligible, but a payment has not been processed and a payment date is not yet available.
• Payment Status Not Available: The IRS has not yet processed your payment or you're not eligible for a payment.
• Need More Information: Your payment was returned to the IRS because the Postal Service was unable to deliver it. Only people who get this message can use the tool to give bank account information.

Rep. Chris Pappas offered help on stimulus checks at his official website.

Unemployment benefits will also be extended by $300 per week through Labor Day, extends the CARES Act programs Pandemic Unemployment Assistance for gig workers and those not traditionally eligible for aid) and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (for the long-term unemployed) until early September.

Also included are expanded tax credits over the next year for children, child care and family leave — some of them credits that Democrats have signaled they’d like to make permanent — plus spending for renters, food programs and people’s utility bills.

First Lady Dr. Jill Biden will make an appearance in Concord on Tuesday to promote the plan as part of the "Help is Here" campaign. Details of her visit

States will also receive cash payments from the plan: New Hampshire will receive $1.54 billion from the plan, Maine $1.65 billion and Massachusetts $8.10 billion.

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu joined 20 other Republican governors in opposing how the distribution of funds was determined by using a state’s unemployed population rather than its actual population.

"A state’s ability to keep businesses open and people employed should not be a penalizing factor when distributing funds. If Congress is going to provide aid to states, it should be on an equitable population basis," he governors said in a statement.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNH