2020 introduced a number of unprecedented situations that have required some massive adjustments. And now, with the tax filing season upon us, a raft of brand new challenges await ahead of the April 15 deadline.

Chief among them: uncertainty around the economic stimulus given to American taxpayers as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security, or CARES Act.

Last spring, in the throes of the first round of stay-at-home orders across the country, American taxpayers received up to $1,200 per person, with an additional $500 per qualifying child, of economic stimulus. How much was determined by the number of people in a respective household, and the taxpayer’s or household’s adjusted gross income for 2019 or 2018.

Sounds straightforward so far, right? Well, as many professionals have begun to get their ducks in a row to help their clients in 2021, they’re not finding it to be so simple.

Tax professionals do need to know how much stimulus a taxpayer received, and that creates a potential complication.

Why? Well, for starters, there are a large number of taxpayers who simply don’t remember how big of a check they received from the government. Others may have accidentally thrown away the documentation that was sent along with the check not knowing it would be relevant to their 2020 return. 

Whatever the reason for a missing paper trail, taxpayers who used direct deposit should be able to track down this exact sum on their bank statement. But for those who were issued checks or prepaid cards, it might cause a hiccup in the process, and in some cases, delay return preparation this spring.

Individuals have their questions, too. Many taxpayers are unsure if the stimulus was a loan that needed to be paid back. The stimulus, of course, was not a loan and doesn’t need to be paid back to the government, unlike business owners who took out loans as part of the Paycheck Protection Program that haven’t been (or won’t be) forgiven. But the fact that more than one tax professional said they had clients ask could be a harbinger for a season where filers are coming in with a lot more uncertainty than usual.

Now, as a second round of stimulus is starting to hit taxpayers’ bank accounts, it would behoove tax pros and payers alike to be diligent about documenting these payments. Forward-thinking tax professionals can get ahead of a new round of uncertainty by making sure their clients keep thorough records of anything, and that’s important. Because from all early indications, it seems like filing season is going to be filled with headaches: a cherry on top of the 2020 sundae.

For more information visit: https://www.accountingtoday.com/opinion/what-tax-pros-need-to-know-about-stimulus-payments-heading-into-filing-season