Stimulus Payments for Deceased Family Members

If you received an economic stimulus payment for a deceased family member, it is unfortunately not a mixed blessing.  The IRS does not permit these payments to be kept.  A payment made to someone who died before receipt of the payment should be returned to the IRS following the steps outlined below.

The entire payment must be returned unless it was made to joint filers and one spouse had not died before receipt of the payment.  In this case, you only need to return the portion of the payment made on account of the decedent.  The amount will be $1,200 unless adjusted gross income exceeded $150,000.

How to Return the Decedent’s Payment

If the payment was a paper check:

  1. Write void in the endorsement section on the back of the check.
  2. Mail the voided Treasury check immediately to the appropriate IRS location listed below.
  3. Do not staple, bend or paper clip the check.
  4. Include a note stating the reason for returning the check – namely, that the intended recipient is deceased.

If the payment was a paper check, and you have cashed it, or if the payment was a direct deposit:

  1. Submit a personal check, cashier’s check or money order, made payable to the U.S. Treasury, to the appropriate IRS location listed below.
  2. Write on the repayment “2020EIP” (which stands for Economic Impact Payment) and the taxpayer identification number (social security number or individual taxpayer identification number) of the recipient of the check
  3. Include a note stating the reason for returning the check – namely, that the intended recipient is deceased.

IRS Locations

For Indiana residents, repayment should be sent to:

  • Kansas City Refund Inquiry Unit
  • 333 W. Pershing Road
    Mail Stop 6800, N-2
    Kansas City, MO 64108

For Illinois residents, repayment should be sent to:

  • Philadelphia Refund Inquiry Unit
    2970 Market Street
    DP 3-L08-151
    Philadelphia, PA 19104 

Don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions about your stimulus payments. During these unprecedented times, we’re all in this together!