IRS says first federal stimulus checks will go out this week

JUNEAU — The Internal Revenue Service says the first $1,200 federal pandemic stimulus checks will arrive in Americans’ bank accounts this week.

The first payments will go to Americans who paid taxes in 2019 and 2018 and who have an up-to-date direct deposit account on file with the IRS.

Americans who do not pay taxes but receive Social Security payments will receive their payments in late April, the IRS said.

The IRS plans to start printing paper checks in May for Americans who do not have direct-deposit information on file.

A U.S. citizen or resident alien who does not pay taxes and does not receive Social Security can register for a stimulus check online at the IRS website.

A separate site planned to allow Americans to check the status of their payments and update their direct-deposit information will be online later this month, the agency said.