Still waiting on stimulus money? It might be in the mail

SANDPOINT — By now, many eligible citizens will have received a $600 stimulus, in most cases deposited directly into their bank account. For some however, that may not be the case.

According to a press release by the IRS, some citizens have or will receive paper checks or prepaid debit cards, known as Economic Impact Payment Cards.

“Mailed payments will require more processing and mailing time,” according to the release. “Those who reside abroad will have longer wait times for checks as disruptions to air travel and mail delivery in some countries will slow delivery.”

Luke Hedquist, vice president and branch manager at Columbia Bank in Sandpoint, said some of those recipients may not have been able to receive direct deposits.

“Those that don’t have that ability or have switched their banking services received a card in place of a physical check,” Hedquist wrote. “The driver behind this is unknown.”

According to a report by CBS news, the IRS changed the envelops to be more easily identified after some recipients threw away the mailings. The more recently mailed debit cards are being sent in white envelopes with the Treasury seal.

For those that would prefer to have the funds added directly to their account instead of on plastic, that’s still possible, Hedquist said.

“You can quickly and easily remove the funds from the card via ATM or call the phone number listed on the enclosed letter to request the funds be taken from the card and deposited in your bank account,” he wrote.