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WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service has announced it will begin sending more than 130 million economic stimulus payments starting May 2. The initial round of weekly payments will be completed by early July.

The IRS also announced the availability of a new online calculator on IRS.gov to help people determine the amount of their stimulus payments. (Click here to visit the IRS webpage with that calculator)

Stimulus payments will be sent out in the order of the last two digits of the Social Security number used on the tax return.

Because the IRS will use the Social Security number to determine when checks are mailed, taxpayers may receive their checks at different times than their neighbors or other family members. On a jointly filed return, the first Social Security number listed will determine the mail-out time.

Taxpayers who choose direct deposit on their federal income tax returns can expect to receive their economic stimulus payments between May 2 and May 16 provided their returns were received and processed by April 15, 2008. For taxpayers who did not choose direct deposit on their tax return but whose returns were processed by April 15, the paper checks will be in the mail starting May 16, with the initial mailings completed by around July 11.

Below are the schedules for economic stimulus payments related to tax returns processed by April 15, 2008.

Stimulus Payment Schedule for Tax Returns

Received and Processed by April 15



Direct Deposit Payments

If the last two digits of your Social Security number are:
Your economic stimulus payment deposit should be sent to your bank account by:

00 – 20
May 2

21 – 75
May 9

76 – 99
May 16

Paper Check

If the last two digits of your Social Security number are:
Your check should be in the mail by:

00 – 09
May 16

10 – 18
May 23

19 – 25
May 30

26 – 38
June 6

39 – 51
June 13

52 – 63
June 20

64 – 75
June 27

76 – 87
July 4

88 – 99
July 11


The IRS also announcing the availability of an on-line calculator to help taxpayers determine if they are eligible to receive an economic stimulus payment and if they are, how much they can expect. Anyone who has prepared a 2007 income tax return can use the calculator.

It will ask taxpayers a series of questions, so they should have their 2007 tax returns handy. After answering the questions, the calculator will provide the projected dollar value of the payment.