The rules for a second stimulus check have changed enough to rewrite who is qualified to make more money.

Angela Lang / CNET

New stimulus check, new rules for people who owe and receive child benefits? It turns out the answer is yes. The $ 900 billion stimulus bill from the end of December a number of changes have been made Qualifications for the second stimulus test This benefits millions of Americans who were ineligible for the first check, including parents. Even as that It will deliver $ 600 in stimulus payments across the country, however Not everyone will qualify.

One thing that hasn’t changed is the definition of a dependent on children than 16 years old or younger. This time, however, the bill calls for payments of $ 600 per child as part of the total household amount. Just Qualified adults receive their own stimulus check – Money for children is linked to a parent’s payment. But how does that affect your potential direct payment if you owe or owe child support? And could two separated or divorced parents claim the $ 600 benefit, just like the first check?

Everything you need to know is here second stimulus test and child support, like how much money you could get for your dependent on children on both sides of this financial equation. Try ours second stimulus check calculator for an estimate of your total, and here’s what you need to know Waves of payment groups. This story was recently updated with new information.

The second stimulus check brings a big change in overdue child support

In contrast to the CARES Actwhat made it legal for states garnish the first stimulus check For more than $ 150 in arrears, the new rules allow parents to keep all of their second stimulus tests, even if they owe child support. In fact, it is illegal to seize stimulus checks on most types of debt, including from private creditors and banks.

This also means that if you owe child benefit, you will not receive any money from your child’s other parent the next time you make a direct payment.

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Second stimulus test: everything you need to know

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Another reason the change is so significant

If the first stimulus tests were garnished In order to provide overdue child support payments, spelling mistakes sometimes also used stimulus money allocated to a (new) spouse who was not the other parent of the child. Stopping all seizures of stimulus check funds means these individuals will not need to reclaim their full second stimulus check funds from the IRS. So they will have to claim garnished money incorrectly from their first payment.

Could both parents get a check for $ 600 per child with joint custody?

There was a loophole in the initial stimulus test that benefited both parents with $ 500 per child if they filed their taxes in a certain way. The second stimulus check is based on your 2019 tax return. It’s not entirely clear whether the same rules would apply, but that’s how it went with the first check.

If your non-parental spouse has withdrawn money from their first stimulus check for child support that you owe, the IRS will write another check to make up the difference.

Sarah Tew / CNET

Most of the time – but not always – the non-caring parent pays child benefit to the caring parent who is likely to be calls on the child on their taxes. Sometimes, however, child benefit is also due if the parents share custody (for example, if one parent earns significantly more than the other). In many of these cases, but not all of them, parents take turns charging the child to their taxes (one in odd years, the other in even years, for example).

In such situations, dependent stimulus payments may be sent to one parent, but not to both parents. In this case, the parent who did not receive the money can do so request it in your tax return for 2020 According to Janet Holtzblatt, Senior Fellow at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, you will receive this along with a refund due in 2021. “Double dipping” is not a mistake in this case. Unless the interpretation of the rules changes, both parents can technically qualify for the payment of $ 600 for a total payout of $ 1,200 per child.

You can find more information on stimulus testing here Calculate your second stimulus check sum and here’s what we now know about a third stimulus test.