Recovery Rebate Credit Tax Return Question

[Haydnator 274]

My hubby and I are in the process of filing for our joint taxes. I brought him over last year on a k1 visa and we got married in February, 2020  and then filed for AOS in March of that year. He is still pending for an interview, so therefore doesn't have his green card. He has a social security number though, as well as EAD/AP. 

 

While filling out our return we got to the section about Stimulus payments. I got $1200 the first round, and $600 the second round. My husband never got anything, and we didn't expect he was going to be entitled to any since those stimulus checks were based on 2019 tax returns, and we weren't married then.

 

Now, I'm using turbotax, and it says we should get the total number a married couple should have got which was $2400 and $1200 respectively. Then it asks if we received that. I was truthful and said we didn't, but now it's giving us a credit of $1800 as recover rebate credit. My question is, are we entitled to that money? I was under the impression we weren't married in 2019, and therefore not entitled to it, and I don't want to mistakingly take money that Is not rightfully ours. What should we do?

[neca 166]

I can't help you, but maybe this thread can?
 

 

[Wuozopo 4,293]

7 hours ago, Haydnator said:

Now, I'm using turbotax, and it says we should get the total number a married couple should have got which was $2400 and $1200 respectively. Then it asks if we received that. I was truthful and said we didn't, but now it's giving us a credit of $1800 as recover rebate credit. My question is, are we entitled to that money? I was under the impression we weren't married in 2019, and therefore not entitled to it, and I don't want to mistakingly take money that Is not rightfully ours. What should we do?

The stimulus was for 2020. You are married and filing 2020 taxes now. TurboTax is correct.

The government wanted to get the money out as quickly as possible instead of waiting for you to file a 2020 tax return. They based the Payment on your 2019 return (income qualification) just to send it to you early. Now as you are officially filing taxes for 2020, the rebate is part of the tax return. It determines that both of you qualify. You already got your $1200 and $600  as an early advance, which you should have said yes to on the 2020 tax return. Hubby did not get his, so is entitled to $1200+$600 now. It is a credit on the tax return instead of sending out separate rebate payments like last year.

[Ayrton 965]

9 hours ago, Haydnator said:

My hubby and I are in the process of filing for our joint taxes. I brought him over last year on a k1 visa and we got married in February, 2020  and then filed for AOS in March of that year. He is still pending for an interview, so therefore doesn't have his green card. He has a social security number though, as well as EAD/AP. 

 

While filling out our return we got to the section about Stimulus payments. I got $1200 the first round, and $600 the second round. My husband never got anything, and we didn't expect he was going to be entitled to any since those stimulus checks were based on 2019 tax returns, and we weren't married then.

 

Now, I'm using turbotax, and it says we should get the total number a married couple should have got which was $2400 and $1200 respectively. Then it asks if we received that. I was truthful and said we didn't, but now it's giving us a credit of $1800 as recover rebate credit. My question is, are we entitled to that money? I was under the impression we weren't married in 2019, and therefore not entitled to it, and I don't want to mistakingly take money that Is not rightfully ours. What should we do?

Turbo tax is correct. As a married couple filing jointly in 2020, with an income lower than 150k, and with SSN, you both qualify for the Total amount.

[Haydnator 274]

9 hours ago, Wuozopo said:

The stimulus was for 2020. You are married and filing 2020 taxes now. TurboTax is correct.

The government wanted to get the money out as quickly as possible instead of waiting for you to file a 2020 tax return. They based the Payment on your 2019 return (income qualification) just to send it to you early. Now as you are officially filing taxes for 2020, the rebate is part of the tax return. It determines that both of you qualify. You already got your $1200 and $600  as an early advance, which you should have said yes to on the 2020 tax return. Hubby did not get his, so is entitled to $1200+$600 now. It is a credit on the tax return instead of sending out separate rebate payments like last year.

Alright, this is what we needed to know. Thanks!