AUSTIN, Texas — Many viewers have reached out to KVUE with questions regarding the coronavirus pandemic, and the KVUE Defenders took a look at some of them.
Here are the answers to some of your questions.
Question: I got the EIP card with an amount of the 2018 taxes and the card would have twice the amount of 2019 taxes. What are my options to obtain the difference I should have received from the 2019 tax return?
Answer: The payment is based on the most recent tax return on file with the IRS (2018 or 2019). If you have filed your 2019 tax return by paper, most paper returns have not been processed and are being held until IRS offices are open and workers who process them return.
Question: Can the government withdraw funds from my EIP card?
Answer: No. The funds loaded on to the card belong to you and you're the only one who can withdraw the funds.
Question: What is the difference between the EIP card and a credit card?
Answer: When you use a credit card, you are borrowing money and building debt. With the EIP card, you are not borrowing money and will not have to pay anything back. Also, there is no credit check to get the EIP card and you won't incur interest charges and the use of the card will not show up on your credit report.
Question: What is the status of the second stimulus payment?
Answer: Congress could make a decision on a second round of economic impact payments sometime this month, but details about how and when it could happen are still unknown. The U.S House of Representatives passed the Heroes Act, which would provide a second round of stimulus payments, but the bill has not yet passed through the Senate.
Question: Using the stimulus tracker, I'm getting "no information found." I haven't filed because I'm disabled. Is that why I haven't received the stimulus money?
Answer: It's possible. If you're a non-filer and are a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or qualifying resident alien and have a valid social security number, can't be claimed as a dependent and have income under the limits, you are eligible for an economic impact payment. The IRS has a free tool for you to use on its website called "Enter Payment Info Here."
Question: If asymptomatic people can spread COVID-19, why don't they allow everyone to get tested? Especially people like me, an essential worker.
Answer: There are several options for getting tested but not all are free. You can check in with your primary care physician, urgent care clinic or local health testing labs. Austin Public Health said last week that it doesn't want to test everyone at this point because it wants to be responsible with public resources.
If you have a question you'd like KVUE to answer, text 512-459-9442.
MORE DEFENDERS Q&A COVERAGE:
- Defenders Q&A: Where can I get a reliable COVID-19 test in Travis County?
- Defenders Q&A: Will the government see how I spend my money?
- Defenders Q&A: Is a second round of stimulus checks coming?
- Defenders Q&A: How much does a COVID-19 test cost?
- Defenders Q&A: Can you spread the COVID-19 by singing?
- Defenders Q&A: Do you get an extra $600 a week if you filed for unemployment?
- Defenders Q&A: Austin's anti-eviction ordinance, renewing a CHL and paper tax returns
- Defenders Q&A: Tax credits, travel quarantine orders and weddings
- Defenders Q&A: Will stimulus checks go to child support? Can baby wipes kill viruses?