IRS Get My Payment: When will it show the status of second stimulus checks?

In an update last week, the IRS said the tool, which lets recipients check the status of their checks (known as Economic Impact Payments), would relaunch “soon.” However, the tool remained inactive several days later. As of Monday morning, visitors were greeted with a message saying “Get My Payment is temporarily offline.”

The tool eventually relaunched on Monday when a big blue button appeared on the IRS website, but not everyone is having luck using it. With an overwhelming flood of visitors checking the site, some have been left staring at three pulsating dots along with the message, “Due to high demand, you may have to wait longer than usual to access this site. We appreciate your patience.”

We reached out to the IRS for more information, but for now, your best bet might be to wait for the page to load or try back in a few hours.

For taxpayers with direct deposit, checks for up to $600 for individuals and up to $1,200 for couples are expected to start appearing in bank accounts this week. Paper checks are likely to take longer due to the additional processing required.

The Get My Payment portal is for informational purposes, and the IRS has emphasized that eligible Americans do not need to take any action to receive their payments. “The IRS reminds taxpayers that the payments are automatic, and they should not contact their financial institutions or the IRS with payment timing questions,” the bureau said in an update last week.

Still, many Americans who are relying on the money may be experiencing a touch of déjà vu. The Get My Payment tool was plagued with glitches during the first round of checks last year, in part due to overwhelming interest. Many visitors were left frustrated by repeated messages of “payment status not available.”

This post has been updated to reflect that the tool has now launched.