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Millions learn their stimulus checks were sent to tax companies

IRS creates Instagram account 'to reach more taxpayers'
Posted at 5:46 PM, Jan 05, 2021
and last updated 2021-01-05 17:46:44-05

CLARKSTON, Mich. (WXYZ) — After hearing other people had received their stimulus checks, Keith Sabol of Clarkston checked his bank account.

When it wasn’t there he went to the IRS website and used the get my payment tool to find out the status of his payment.

“The first stimulus check went to my normal bank account and the second one didn’t. It went to a totally different number that we didn’t recognize,” said Sabol.

He spoke to his children. They soon realized that all of them who had filed their taxes through H and R block were missing checks. They called H and R Block.

“It went to H and R block because of a wrong button and tomorrow we should receive it in our bank accounts. And if not to give them a call,” Sabol says he was told.

7 Action News reached out to H and R block to learn more about what happened. The company told us the IRS determines where second stimulus payments are sent, and in some cases, money was sent to a different account than the first stimulus payment last spring.

It is not clear why. It is not an isolated incident. We have heard about this happening with other tax service companies that sometimes are paid with refund checks.

H and R block said quote, "We immediately deposited millions of stimulus payments to customers’ bank accounts and onto our Emerald Prepaid Mastercard® yesterday, and all direct deposits are being processed."

Sabol says he is happy to see the issue rectified so quickly.