The Internal Revenue Service says its website is “is operating smoothly and effectively,” but some users are confused by an error message regarding their stimulus money.
Some users get a “Payment Status Not Available” error with the vague explanation that “according to information that we have on file, we cannot determine your eligibility for a payment at this time.”
The message pops up when people enter their information using the IRS’ “Get My Payment” tool that’s supposed to tell them the status of their stimulus payment.
Enough people received the message that it was the subject of several Reddit posts and trended on Twitter.
The “Get My Money” tool is supposed to tell people the status of their payment or allow them to enter direct deposit information so they can get their money more quickly.
The IRS released an FAQ explaining why some people are getting the message:
- If you are not eligible for a payment (see IRS.gov on who is eligible and who is not eligible)
- If you are required to file a tax return and have not filed in tax year 2018 or 2019.
- If you recently filed your return or provided information through Non-Filers: Enter Your Payment Info on IRS.gov. Your payment status will be updated when processing is completed.
- If you are an SSA or RRB Form 1099 recipient, SSI or VA benefit recipient – the IRS is working with your agency to issue your payment; your information is not available in this app yet.
However, as The Verge reports, entering a fake social security number, birthdate and address also returns the same error, making it look like a “catch-all” error message from the system.
There is a limit on the number of times you can check the app per day; if you exceed your limit, the system will lock you out for 24 hours.
“The IRS reminds taxpayers that Get My Payment data is updated once per day, so there’s no need to check back more frequently,” the IRS explained in its FAQ.
The agency said it is constantly monitoring the website as it continues to see a high volume. Users are sometimes sent to an online waiting room when the volume hits certain levels.
By midday Wednesday, the IRS said 6.2 million taxpayers had received their payment status and almost 1.1 million had added direct deposit information.