This Topic is about the first Economic Impact Payment. Q E1. Will IRS be sending any more prepaid EIP cards? (updated January 6, 2021) A1. The IRS and the Treasury Department are delivering second Economic Impact Payments as part of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021. Most of these payments will be made by direct deposit. For those who are eligible for a second EIP and don’t receive a direct deposit by early January, they should watch their mail for either a paper check or a debit card. Please note that the form of payment for a second mailed EIP may be different than for the first mailed EIP. Some people who received a paper check last time might receive a debit card this time, and some people who received a debit card last time may receive a paper check. Payments being sent on a prepaid debit card are known as the Economic Impact Payment Card. These EIP cards are sponsored by the Department of the Treasury’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service, managed by Money Network Financial, LLC and issued by Treasury’s financial agent, MetaBank®, N.A. The EIP Cards being issued for the second payments are sent in a in a plain white envelope which prominently displays the U.S. Treasury seal and “Economic Impact Payment Card” in the return address. The envelope will also have the following notation: “Not a bill or an advertisement. Important information about your Economic Impact Payment.” The Visa name is on the front of the Card and the issuing bank, MetaBank®, N.A. on the back of the card. Information included with the card will explain that this is your Economic Impact Payment. If you receive an Economic Impact Payment Card, visit EIPcard.com for more information. Q E2. Can I transfer money from my EIP Card to my bank account? (updated October 26, 2020) A2. Yes. The limit on ACH transfers to a bank account is $2,500 per transaction. You can easily transfer the money from your EIP Card to an existing bank account online at EIPcard.com or by using the Money Network Mobile App. You will need the Routing and Account number for your bank account. To transfer funds: Call 800-240-8100 (TTY: 800-241-9100) to activate your Card. Register for online or mobile app access by going to EIPCard.com or the Money Network Mobile App and click on “Register”. Follow the steps to create your User ID and Password. Be sure to have your EIP Card handy. Select Move Money Out and follow the steps to set up your ACH transfer. Transfers should post to your bank account in 1-2 business days. Q E3. Can I specifically ask the IRS to send the Economic Impact Payment to me as an EIP Card? (updated October 26, 2020) A3. No, you can’t choose to receive an Economic Impact Payment as an EIP card. If you didn’t receive your Economic Impact Payment by direct deposit, the payment will be a paper check. The determination of who received an EIP card was made by the Bureau of the Fiscal Service (BFS), another part of the Treasury Department that works with the IRS to handle distribution of the payments. BFS has sent nearly 4 million debit cards to taxpayers since mid-May. If you have an Economic Impact Payment Card, visit EIPcard.com for more information. Q E4. What do I do if my prepaid EIP Card was lost or destroyed? (updated January 6, 2021) A4. If your EIP card is lost or destroyed, you may request a free replacement through MetaBank® Customer Service. To request a replacement call 800-240-8100 (select your language and then select option 2 from main menu) and enter the last six digits of the Social Security number of the person who is listed first on your tax return. The Economic Impact Payment Card is sponsored by the Treasury Department’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service, managed by Money Network Financial, LLC and issued by Treasury’s financial agent, MetaBank®, N.A. The EIP Card will be sent in a in a plain white envelope which prominently displays the U.S. Treasury seal and “Economic Impact Payment Card” in the return address. The envelope will also have the following notation: “Not a bill or an advertisement. Important information about your Economic Impact Payment.” The Visa name is on the front of the Card and the name of the issuing bank, MetaBank®, N.A. on the back of the card. If you have an Economic Impact Payment Card, visit EIPcard.com for more information. Q E5. What do I need to do if I received the prepaid EIP Card as my Payment, but my name is incorrect? (updated October 26, 2020) A5. If the last name on the card (i.e., issued in a previous name such as a maiden or married name) is incorrect, the payee with the first name on the first line can still activate the card and/or validate identity to continue activation. For other name related issues or questions (i.e., incorrect spelling), contact MetaBank®, N.A. at 800-240-8100, or visit EIPcard.com. Q E6. Why have I received a letter indicating I haven’t activated a debit card for my Economic Impact Payment? (updated January 6, 2021) A6. Taxpayers who were mailed a debit card in May for the first Economic Impact Payments but hadn’t activated it yet were sent a letter in July reminding them that they can activate it to access their money or obtain a free replacement card if needed. The EIP cards were originally mailed in late May to about 4 million people who were eligible for an Economic Impact Payment and would have otherwise received a check. The EIP cards were issued by MetaBank®, N.A. and came in a plain envelope from Money Network Cardholder Services. For the reminder mailing, the Treasury Department logo will be visible on the envelope and letter. The left front of the envelope will clearly include this notation: “Not a bill or an advertisement. Important information about your Economic Impact Payment.” The inside of the letter will include instructions for people who haven’t activated their card yet and includes a picture of what the debit card looks like. Once the card is activated, people can transfer the funds to a bank account, get cash surcharge-free at an In-Network ATM or use in other ways. For more information, visit EIPcard.com. Additional information, including answers to frequently asked questions and other resources is available at IRS.gov/coronavirus. Q E7. If I received an EIP card for the first economic impact payment, will funds be added to my existing card for the second economic impact payment? (added January 6, 2021) A7. No. EIP cards issued for the first economic impact payments are independent of EIP Cards issued for the second economic impact payments. Please note that the form of payment for a second mailed EIP may be different than for the first mailed EIP. Some people who received a debit card last time may receive a paper check, and some people who received a paper check last time might receive a debit card this time. Q E8. If I received an EIP card for my first economic impact payment, will I receive another one for my second economic impact payment? (added January 6, 2021) A8. You will not necessarily receive an EIP card again if you received one last time. The form of payment for a second EIP may be different than for the first EIP. Some people who received a paper check last time might receive a debit card this time, and some people who received a debit card last time may receive a paper check. Q E9. If I have additional questions about EIP cards, where can I go for answers? (added January 6, 2021) A9. There’s a detailed FAQ on EIPcard.com. Get My Payment Use the Get My Payment application and FAQs to answer your questions about your payment, using the application, eligibility, and more. Get My Payment application Get My Payment FAQs Economic Impact Payment Topics Topic A: EIP Eligibility Topic B: Requesting My Economic Impact Payment Topic C: Calculating My Economic Impact Payment Topic D: Receiving My Payment Topic E: EIP Cards Topic F: Payment Issued but Lost, Stolen, Destroyed or Not Received Topic G: Non-Filers Tool Topic H: Social Security, Railroad Retirement and Department of Veteran Affairs benefit recipients Topic I: Returning the Economic Impact Payment Topic J: Reconciling on your 2020 tax return Topic K: General Information
