Getting a Payment Status “Not Available Error” Message?

Still, waiting on your IRS stimulus check? Well, if you’re getting a payment status “Not Available” error, we have the answer!

The task of sending out checks to so many millions of people is a herculean task.  One that comes with an unimaginable amount of paperwork! So processing all that data takes and hiccups are to be sometimes expected.

A few days back, we provided our readers with the IRS Get My Payment link. As soon as it was available, millions were greeted with a “Payment Status Not Available” error.

Assuming the high level of traffic to the page caused that message, the IRS added a “waiting room” style page to avoid the page from crashing. Yet, this message was still coming up:

One reason why you may be getting this error is that you may not eligible for a stimulus check. However, the IRS recently updated their Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page with more information:

This FAQ page update points out a missing key point that wasn’t included in the previous version. And it is that one of the reasons you get this error may be due to “The application doesn’t yet have your data; we’re working on adding more data to allow more people to use it.”

In a nutshell, the IRS doesn’t know your status because they haven’t completed processing your information. So, if you just recently filed your 2019 taxes or used their Non-Filer form to give them your banking information, it means your data hasn’t been processed. It also doesn’t include information for those who receive benefits through Social Security or Veterans Affairs.

So as the IRS goes through the tedious task backlogging the data, it may take a bit before your error message disappears. When it does, your status will first change to show you where the IRS will direct depositing your stimulus check. It will also show you the date for it the expected deposit.

So now you know why you keep seeing the “Payment Status Not Available” error message – so until your data is fully processed, keep your busy and safe while waiting.