topic Re: What Do I Do With It? in Community Chat

What Do I Do With It?

Anonymous032819 — Fri, 01 May 2020 19:48:54 GMT

When I went to the mailbox today, I got an unexpected surprise.

In the mail was a check, made out to my dad, from the government, for $1,200.

In other words, my deceased father got a stimulus check.

I am his only heir.

I don't want to get in to trouble with the government.

So I figured that you smart ladies would know.

Am I legally allowed to keep it?

Would this be considered a part of his estate?

Thank - you!

Re: What Do I Do With It?

ahoymate — Fri, 01 May 2020 19:52:29 GMT

Goolge says you can keep it. Check it out.

Re: What Do I Do With It?

tansy — Fri, 01 May 2020 19:57:08 GMT

Steve Mnuchin says that check should be returned. "Should" is the wording I saw.

Re: What Do I Do With It?

Boomernichols — Fri, 01 May 2020 19:58:17 GMT

If you draw a government check and pass before the first of the month, your bank will return it as you or your estate is not entitled. I would check on this before I spent it or you may end up in a mess.

Re: What Do I Do With It?

Still Raining — Fri, 01 May 2020 19:58:50 GMT

We are in this mess too. Treasury says it must be returned. IRS has not issued instructions.

A few tax folks feel that somehow the wording indicates it should be kept, but that is water cooler talk.

Re: What Do I Do With It?

qualitygal — Fri, 01 May 2020 20:00:11 GMT

Personally, I'd return it. A power of atty is no longer any good and I doubt a bank would cash it for you, not being him, but that's me.

Re: What Do I Do With It?

SeaMaiden — Fri, 01 May 2020 20:03:16 GMT

@Anonymous032819 check this out. It says you should return it.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/04/30/business/she-has-been-dead-months-so-why-is-she-getting-stimulus-check/

Re: What Do I Do With It?

Anonymous032819 — Fri, 01 May 2020 20:00:52 GMT

@Boomernichols wrote:
If you draw a government check and pass before the first of the month, your bank will return it as you or your estate is not entitled. I would check on this before I spent it or you may end up in a mess.

@Boomernichols

My dad died at the end of March last year.

Re: What Do I Do With It?

Bri369 — Fri, 01 May 2020 20:01:55 GMT

If surviving relatives who received a check for a dead loved one were wondering what to do, Mnuchin offered an answer Tuesday.

“You’re not supposed to keep that payment,” Mnuchin told the Wall Street Journal. “We’re checking the databases, but there could be a scenario where we missed something, and yes, the heirs should be returning that money.”

Re: What Do I Do With It?

spud188 — Fri, 01 May 2020 20:07:15 GMT

As I understand it as long as he was alive in 2019 and filed taxes in either 2018 or 2019 he will get a check. If you are his heir it is yours. Do you have an EIN number for him?? I had to get one for my Mom when she died in 2019 so checks she received after death could be cashed.

Re: What Do I Do With It?

NicksmomESQ — Fri, 01 May 2020 20:13:01 GMT

The check should be returned.It's meant to stimulate the economy & help people pay their bills. The issuance of checks to dead people is a mistake.Millions of checks are going out. Mistakes are bound to happen.

Re: What Do I Do With It?

QueenDanceALot — Fri, 01 May 2020 20:15:44 GMT

If you keep it (and I don't know if that's legal or not), how would you cash or deposit it? Your name isn't on it.

Do you know a lawyer to ask?

Re: What Do I Do With It?

ThinkingOutLoud — Fri, 01 May 2020 20:31:00 GMT

To me, 'what do I do with it' isn't about who said what (google, Mnchin, anyone here, etc). It's about a person's level of honesty/integrity. The *taxpayer* money is to help those who've been affected by this nonsense and your dad wasn't though I'm sorry for your loss.

Re: What Do I Do With It?

Spacrazy — Fri, 01 May 2020 20:28:02 GMT

Got stimulus money for my deceased mother and immediately returned it.

Re: What Do I Do With It?

evelyner — Fri, 01 May 2020 20:29:32 GMT

My friend also got a check for her deceased mother.

Re: What Do I Do With It?

Lipstickdiva — Fri, 01 May 2020 20:34:01 GMT

This has been discussed previously.

I work for a law firm and we handle estates. We are getting a lot of calls from people who have rec'd the check. Although Steve Mnuchin said the check should be returned, there is no announced edict on that.

It's our understanding it is being looked into. We are advising our clients on what to do based on our understanding of the situation. Some are choosing to ignore the advice and others are taking it.

Re: What Do I Do With It?

goldensrbest — Fri, 01 May 2020 20:31:56 GMT

If he died in 2018, i would think it shoul;d be sent back ,if in 2019, i think you would keep it ,hey maybe that is why some of us are still waiting for our check ,they are sending to dead people!!

Re: What Do I Do With It?

RetRN — Fri, 01 May 2020 20:33:37 GMT

@Anonymous032819,what would father want you to do?

Re: What Do I Do With It?

Lipstickdiva — Fri, 01 May 2020 20:36:44 GMT

You really need to contact the attorney who handled the estate. I can only tell you here, yes it is part of the estate and the estate would have to be re-opened to allow that check to pass to you as the heir.

Re: What Do I Do With It?

Anonymous032819 — Fri, 01 May 2020 20:37:51 GMT

@goldensrbest wrote:
If he died in 2018, i would think it shoul;d be sent back ,if in 2019, i think you would keep it ,hey maybe that is why some of us are still waiting for our check ,they are sending to dead people!!

@goldensrbest

My dad died in March of 2019.