# I just found out I don't qualify for the Economic Stimulus Rebate. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 14, 2008, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-found-out-i-dont-qualify-for-the-economic-stimulus-rebate/449242 "2008-05-14T03:24:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Borborygmi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/borborygmi/32/217_2.png) [@Borborygmi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Borborygmi)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-found-out-i-dont-qualify-for-the-economic-stimulus-rebate/449242/41 "2008-05-14T17:14:09Z")
[QUOTE=Antinor01] I haven’t gotten my stimulus check yet, so I still think Bush is an ass. [/QUOTE] I haven’t gotten my stimulus check yet either, but a couple of months ago I got a letter saying that in a couple of months I would get ANOTHER letter, and that THAT letter would tell me something about a stimulus check that I would get after that. So I won’t know what I think of Bush until I get my letter. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-found-out-i-dont-qualify-for-the-economic-stimulus-rebate/449242/42 "2008-05-14T17:18:32Z")
[QUOTE=Plynck] I haven’t gotten my TV converter box coupon yet, so I’m still a Luddite. [/QUOTE] Giving away money [sub]sort of[/sub] and TV sets [sub]sort of[/sub]… Isn’t this place great? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-found-out-i-dont-qualify-for-the-economic-stimulus-rebate/449242/43 "2008-05-14T17:20:05Z")
[QUOTE=Cheesesteak] Get off my lawn! [/QUOTE] That’s **my** lawn, Mister! You have my permission to remain. But only as fertilizer. ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-found-out-i-dont-qualify-for-the-economic-stimulus-rebate/449242/44 "2008-05-14T17:25:54Z")
[QUOTE=The Tao’s Revenge] Still since it’s being paid by deficit spending won’t he be paying for everyone else’s rebate out of his taxes when he graduates? The money borrowed to pay this won’t pay it’s self back you know. [/QUOTE] Shhh. Haven’t you been listening for the past 7+ years? Deficit spending _good_! Look how well we’re doing! We’re _giving away free money!_ Pay no attention to that recession behind the curtain! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-found-out-i-dont-qualify-for-the-economic-stimulus-rebate/449242/45 "2008-05-14T17:45:44Z")
[QUOTE=Maureen] Shhh. Haven’t you been listening for the past 7+ years? Deficit spending _good_! Look how well we’re doing! We’re _giving away free money!_ Pay no attention to that recession behind the curtain! [/QUOTE] Just do what any good CEO would do. Jump ship and move to Canada right before it crashes. With a big severance package if possible. ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-found-out-i-dont-qualify-for-the-economic-stimulus-rebate/449242/46 "2008-05-14T18:28:50Z")
[QUOTE=Tabula Rasa] I believe one has the option of declaring undocumented income, like…say…$51 in babysitting money or such. Not sure I’d want to sit on hold with the IRS hotline to confirm that one, though. [/QUOTE] Sure, I don’t see why not–I declare undocumented income all the time, since I do freelance work and not everyone sends a 1099-misc, but I still have to pay taxes on it. Agent Foxtrot may very well have made some ebay income or something that can help him qualify. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-found-out-i-dont-qualify-for-the-economic-stimulus-rebate/449242/47 "2008-05-14T20:43:20Z")
[QUOTE=Una Persson] Uh oh, you touched one of the many SDMB Third Rails…just like I did, when I commented that I’m paying more than the average gross income of the US in Federal taxes, but got jack fucking squat back, because obviously I need to, as they say, “die yuppie scum.” :rolleyes: [/QUOTE] Me, too. Sucks but whatever. Morons. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-found-out-i-dont-qualify-for-the-economic-stimulus-rebate/449242/48 "2008-05-14T20:57:57Z")
[QUOTE=EJsGirl] Me, too. Sucks but whatever. Morons. [/QUOTE] I feel this pain too, but not too bad. I have trouble feeling sorry for myself over the whole “we made too much money to qualify for the rebate” thing - I really can’t be surprised when someone making less than $3000 in a year is incited by this statement to throw tomatos at me. (“Oh my, I just got mud on my $500 shoes and now they are absolutely ruined! And my Mercedes is going to need BRAKES, goddamnit” are not exactly expressions that are going to garner a lot of sympathy from most people. Not that I own $500 shoes or drive a Mercedes, so keeping my mouth shut on complaints like that is pretty easy.) ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-found-out-i-dont-qualify-for-the-economic-stimulus-rebate/449242/49 "2008-05-14T20:59:10Z")
[QUOTE=Agent Foxtrot] Thanks for nothing, Dubya! [/QUOTE] You misspelled “[Democratically controlled] Congress”. Not everything is Bush’s fault, you know. Anyway, sorry it didn’t work out for you. I don’t know where I stand. I haven’t gotten a check yet-- does that mean I didn’t qualify. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-found-out-i-dont-qualify-for-the-economic-stimulus-rebate/449242/50 "2008-05-14T21:05:22Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] I don’t know where I stand. I haven’t gotten a check yet-- does that mean I didn’t qualify. [/QUOTE] I don’t think the checks are being mailed out until July. (So said a recorded message I got the other day when calling the IRS about an unrelated matter.) ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-found-out-i-dont-qualify-for-the-economic-stimulus-rebate/449242/51 "2008-05-14T21:06:59Z")
Where can I check to see if my stimulus money has been denied? I have’t seen my money yet either, and now I’m worrying. (The IRS FAQ page seemed awefully generic.) ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-found-out-i-dont-qualify-for-the-economic-stimulus-rebate/449242/52 "2008-05-14T21:10:37Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] I don’t think the checks are being mailed out until July. (So said a recorded message I got the other day when calling the IRS about an unrelated matter.) [/QUOTE] That, and if you got your regular return direct deposited, but filed through TurboTax, your stimulus check will be mailed, not direct deposited. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-found-out-i-dont-qualify-for-the-economic-stimulus-rebate/449242/53 "2008-05-14T21:15:29Z")
They’ve already started mailing the checks, actually. [Here is the schedule.](http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=180247,00.html) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-found-out-i-dont-qualify-for-the-economic-stimulus-rebate/449242/54 "2008-05-14T21:16:32Z")
[QUOTE=mlees] Where can I check to see if my stimulus money has been denied? I have’t seen my money yet either, and now I’m worrying. (The IRS FAQ page seemed awefully generic.) [/QUOTE] [http://www.irs.gov/app/espc/](http://www.irs.gov/app/espc/) ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-found-out-i-dont-qualify-for-the-economic-stimulus-rebate/449242/55 "2008-05-14T21:19:10Z")
[QUOTE=Loach] [http://www.irs.gov/app/espc/](http://www.irs.gov/app/espc/) [/QUOTE] woops. Missed that. Thanks. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-found-out-i-dont-qualify-for-the-economic-stimulus-rebate/449242/56 "2008-05-14T21:21:27Z")
[QUOTE=mlees] woops. Missed that. Thanks. 🙂 [/QUOTE] But I have to warn you. I heard some where that if you make less than $3000 a year you get nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-found-out-i-dont-qualify-for-the-economic-stimulus-rebate/449242/57 "2008-05-14T21:22:12Z")
[QUOTE=The Tao’s Revenge] … Jump ship and move to Canada right before it crashes… [/QUOTE] That might not be the best option. As a percentage of GDP, Canada’s national debt is much higher than that of the US. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-found-out-i-dont-qualify-for-the-economic-stimulus-rebate/449242/58 "2008-05-14T21:45:47Z")
[QUOTE=Really Not All That Bright] That, and if you got your regular return direct deposited, but filed through TurboTax, your stimulus check will be mailed, not direct deposited. [/QUOTE] 😕 This is what we did – our check was direct deposited. ---
**Author:** ![Sparklo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Sparklo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparklo)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-found-out-i-dont-qualify-for-the-economic-stimulus-rebate/449242/59 "2008-05-14T22:09:21Z")
[QUOTE=Agent Foxtrot] I’m a poor student and my income fell $49 short of the minimum requirements to qualify. [/QUOTE] I’m assuming you’re talking about your 2007 income. As I understand it, if your 2008 income is enough that you would qualify, you’ll be able to get the tax rebate when you file your 2008 taxes. The rebate is a one-time credit for 2008 but the IRS is using your 2007 info as an estimate to send the money now. Come tax time in 2009, people who got the rebate but shouldn’t (i.e. they qualified based on their 2007 income but made too much in 2008) won’t have to pay it back and people who didn’t get the rebate but should have (i.e. they didn’t qualify based on their 2007 income [like you] but did make enough in 2008) will be able to claim it on their tax return. Don’t know if this makes you feel any better. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Arien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arien)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-found-out-i-dont-qualify-for-the-economic-stimulus-rebate/449242/60 "2008-05-14T22:57:07Z")
[QUOTE=Sparklo] I’m assuming you’re talking about your 2007 income. As I understand it, if your 2008 income is enough that you would qualify, you’ll be able to get the tax rebate when you file your 2008 taxes. The rebate is a one-time credit for 2008 but the IRS is using your 2007 info as an estimate to send the money now. [/QUOTE] I’m not eligible this year because my parents claimed as a dependent for 2007 but I guess I may be able to get it for 2008? I’m confused and the IRS website doesn’t really address my question. Hey, if I’m going to have to pay taxes to make up for the rebate, then I want my “free” money, too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-found-out-i-dont-qualify-for-the-economic-stimulus-rebate/449242.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-found-out-i-dont-qualify-for-the-economic-stimulus-rebate/449242.md?page=4)