Steven Mnuchin Speeds Up First Round of Coronavirus Relief for Americans to Two Weeks

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Thursday he had sped up the timing on individual payments to Americans from three weeks to two weeks.

“I’m pleased to report that within two weeks the first payments will be directly deposited into taxpayers’ accounts,” Mnuchin said.

The secretary said the Treasury Department was working quickly to speed up aid to the American people and to get their $1,200 relief checks to them.

Mnuchin said that Americans who had their direct deposit information already in the IRS system would receive their money in a timely fashion. He promised people who did not have their information in the IRS system could put it into a website that would ensure a speedy direct deposit.

“In this environment, we don’t want to send checks, we want to put money directly into their accounts,” he said.

Mnuchin said that Social Security recipients would get their money as well, even if they had not filed a return.

“If we do not have your direct deposit information, we’ll be putting up a web portal so that you can put that up, it is a very large priority,” he said.

American taxpayers making less than $75,000 in 2019 will be eligible for the $1,200 checks; Couples filing jointly making less than $150,000 will get $2,400. Every child in the household will also receive an additional $500.